Interesting Notion
by PurpleLight
Summary: Falling off brooms, dangerous hexes and leprechans are what you would come to expect schooling at Hogwarts, but somehow these incidences seem to crop up more often then expected in this story. LJ fic, PreDH Chapter 30 is up! Reviews very welcome!
1. Welcoming the Caretaker

Lily Evans was sitting on the comfy couch in front of the roaring fire in the Griffindor Common Room, pondering over the History of magic essay she was supposed to complete - by the next day. She sighed and reread it. History of Magic was easily her worst subject, well, apart from Transfiguration, and Transfiguration wasn't that far behind. She had been sitting there for almost an hour wondering whether she should end the essay short and lose marks or blab on her another half a foot about absolutely nothing and receive the full marks. She yawned at the prospect of writing even one more sentence about grimy goblins and decided that she would end it; it was getting late after all.

Lily began to get up and was nearly at the stairs to the girls' dormitories, when she heard the portrait at the base of the common room swing open. Lily stopped and listened, wondering who could be entering the room at this hour in the morning.

"That was easily the best prank this week!" Yelled Sirius at the top of his voice, not caring that his fellow Griffindors were fast asleep.

Lily sighed, ah, yes, who else but the Marauders would be up and yelling at early hour of the morning? She half turned, about to storm down the stairs and give them all detentions; what else was being a prefect all about? It wasn't just privileges to the bathrooms.

"Yeah," added James, "but did anyone but me see that new Care-taker's face? It was hilarious I swear." At another outburst of laughing, Lily guessed that James had done an extremely melodramatic impersonation.

"It was a great way to welcome him," chuckled Sirius, "It took us forever to get rid of Apollyon Pringle; he was a pain. He was a pain in the--."

"Sirius," Remus began warningly, "Not at this time of morning. Besides, he was old; he was retiring. Simple. You can't take all the credit, even if you did moon him in the corridor, and he poked you up the—"

"Yeah, I know," interrupted Sirius, "I said he was a pain in the arse didn't I?"

James laughed, and followed Remus up to the dormitories. Sirius, after realizing he was being left behind with Peter, bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time with his seeming boundless energy.

Lily listened to the thump of the Marauders' travels up the stairs, and grimaced in sympathy for her fellow students. She sat and listened to their conversation, they were planning their next prank. After a few minutes of _mumble, mumble _Snape, _mumble, mumble, _Pink hair, _mumble, mumble,_ she lost interest; they were always planning pranks, it wasn't anything new.

But she was interested to see how Snape would look with pink hair; the cheeky part of her mind thought that Snape would get what was coming to him. She collected her History of Magic essay and tiptoed up the stairs, the entire opposite of James and his companions


	2. The Marauders

"Wakie wakie, boys!" Sirius barked as a wake up call, "Come on, Prongs, Hup hup hup!" he bounced out of bed joyously, as loudly as he could, as was his wont.

Peter seemed to levitate, scrambling around in his covers, arms and legs flailing wildly. Remus's eyes surveyed him balefully from the shelter of his blankets. James was the only one to grin at him as he got out of his bed.

"You do know, Sirius, that I could put you in detention." Remus's voice was as baleful as his gaze

Sirius's eyes flickered over his shoulder to Remus, his white teeth flashing in a grin, "Oh I know, but you could have done it a thousand times… and you haven't!"

James laughed, "Padfoot, leave Moony to his beauty sleep, if he thinks he needs it."

Sirius glanced at him, and grinned again, "Oh, he needs it alright; the full moon is in a few of days." He eyes glinted mischievously, "Almost time for the plan."

James shrugged into his robes, then turned, looking into the mirror and ran his hand through his hair, "Right!" he said, "Now let's go face the world."

"Let's go _eat_!" Sirius exclaimed, and his robes were on his body in place of his pyjamas so fast, you might have thought he transfigured them.

Peter scrabbled ungracefully out of bed, landing with a _thump_ on the floor. Sirius threw back his head and howled with laughter; he was in a good mood. Remus got up slowly.

"I thought you wanted your beauty sleep?" Sirius smirked.

Remus glared at Sirius, "Well, until you guys go away, I won't be getting any sleep. And when I finally do get to sleep, the decent world will be waking up."

"Poor Diddums," Sirius said, but it was obvious he had no pity for his friend.

"Padfoot, Heel!" James said, "Stop being so insensitive."

Sirius just grinned roguishly, raising an eyebrow. "He needs to get up anyway; it's a school day."

"And you want to have breakfast, and don't want to spend time talking." Said James, rising as eyebrow in turn.

"Less time to eat!" said Sirius emphatically.

"No, we wouldn't want you to be hungry, would we?" was Remus's slightly sarcastic remark.

"Nope! Now, come on! Last one down to the common room is a rotten egg. And I won't be waiting around for you!" With that, Sirius bounded downstairs, James following him.

It took a few minutes for the remainder of the Marauders to get ready, but Sirius, contrary to his words, waited for them. James looked around, and his hand went to his hair as some girls came out of their dormitory. When he didn't see Lily, James looked crestfallen. Sirius, seeing the direction of James's gaze, grinned. He was prevented from commenting by Remus and Peter coming down the stairway.  
"Come on!" he exclaimed, "Let's not wait for Christmas!"  
He looked at James, who followed him, and together they sauntered away down the  
levels to the Great Hall.

The four House tables were set out, and they worked their way to the Griffindor one. Sirius's nose twitched as he smelt the bacon, and his stomach growled. He sat down and loaded his plate, James on his right.

When he had eaten a few very large mouthfuls, Sirius grinned. "So…" he began, "Full moon soon?"  
"Yes," said Remus shortly, "And Transfiguration next."  
James grinned at the prospect of his best subject. Peter gnawed his fingers nervously, "I didn't do the homework! What were we working on again?"

"Easy one, Wormtail," Sirius said dismissively, "Animagus transformations. We  
had to write about the theory behind transforming." He grinned at James, who mirrored him.  
"I think I might have got mine right," James said offhandedly, "What do you  
reckon, Sirius?"  
Sirius barked out a laugh, "Yeah, I reckon. I'd be surprised if I didn't get an E at least."  
"What, Exceed Expectations?" James asked, "Of course you will; you always do. They just _think_ you muck around in class.  
Sirius grinned, "Well of course. But I will get an E."  
"Not an Outstanding?" Remus asked sardonically.  
"Oh, yeah. But I wouldn't be that cocky, would I?" Sirius said. Remus snorted into his breakfast as James laughed loudly. He stopped as he looked around, his hand going to his hair. Sirius grinned at him, already knowing without looking who was coming to the table.


	3. Breakfast

The next morning arrived sooner then Lily would have liked. She wanted nothing more than have a few extra minutes in her warm and comfortable bed. Unfortunately, the morning was not going to be kind to her, and continuous footsteps and excited whispers outside her room forced her up. It couldn't be that late, could it?

Dressing quickly, it was not long before she was out following the crowd of Griffindors to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Lily wandered into the Great Hall sleepily, with a hoard of people from different houses, as well as her own. She hadn't expected to it to take so long getting dressed and putting the final touches to her potions essay, but it had and she hadn't give herself enough time to get ready for school, but she made it to breakfast just as everyone else had. Maybe she wasn't late after all. Lily walked around the Ravenclaw table to get to the Griffindor one.

It took much longer than she had expected, perhaps because of all the people in the Hall. Lily wasn't used to so many people at breakfast, when she normally arrived each morning, apart from today, there were barely any people to be seen. There were usually only a few teachers and students getting ready for the morning classes.

Lily generally got up before everyone else in her dormitory and had her breakfast early, then went to the library to study. She didn't have time to study this morning, however; she had transfiguration in about 10 minutes, which gave her just enough time to eat her breakfast.

She reached the Griffindor table and Sirius Black caught her eye, all the while grinning madly and looking down at the blushing James Potter who had focused on a stain in the wood on the table, as if fascinated by it. His black hair was unruly as always. Obviously, Black had said some crude to make Potter blush. _The two of them are as bad as each other_, she thought. Lily just rolled her eyes and kept walking to the other end of the Griffindor table, as far away from Black and Potter as could be managed, the table was very crowded at this time in the morning. As there were no more seats down the other end of the table, she was forced to sit in earshot of Potter and his friends.

Lily ate her breakfast of toast with strawberry jam in silence, going over the techniques that they might be practising in Transfiguration these first two periods. Professor McGonagall said that they still needed to know more about Animagus transformations. Luckily, she had done the homework that was set for over the weekend, because it was due today. Transfiguration was not one of Lily's strong points but she got through the essay easily enough. She was far more advanced at Charms, or so Professor Flitwick had told her. Lily studied while she ate her toast, but the Marauders, who were three seats down, had more pressing news to talk about.

"No point in that, Prongs," Sirius's voice drifted over to Lily's ears, "She's not looking at you."

James's hand froze halfway to his hair, he looked over to Sirius, who was grinning, "Padfoot, shuddup!" he hissed, "She'll hear you."

Sirius shrugged, not repentant in the least, on the contrary, he grinned at James who looked exasperated. Remus looked over at the two of them, one eyebrow raised. Sirius, reading this communication, widened his grin, but relented in his teasing.

He relaxed back onto the bench, and returned to his breakfast. Remus shook his head at the both of them. Peter, who had watched them with interest, turned back to Remus, and tried to get the answers for the Transfiguration Essay from him.

By the time Sirius had finished wolfing down his third helping of food, Remus was looking at his watch, obviously anxious to be going. James decided that it was time to go, "Come on, Padfoot!" he said, "Time to get a move on."

Sirius swallowed an impossibly large mouthful to speak, "But I'm hungry." He whined.

"You're always hungry," James said fondly, "But we have to go, else we'll be late, and McGonagall will be cut at us."

Sirius nodded ruefully in agreement, picking up his books and quills and shoving them unceremoniously in his bag. He looked up again to see James ruffling his hair and grinned at him, "Come on, Prongs. She'll be coming as soon as she's finished her …"

"Strawberry jam on toast," James said, then blushed as Sirius raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"Come on," Sirius repeated, and started away, throwing looks over his shoulder like a dog being taken on a walk. James sighed and followed, Remus and Peter tagging along behind.

James jogged to catch up with Sirius's enthusiastic bounds. He looked back every so often at Remus and Wormtail who, moving at only a fast walk, were falling behind.

When James and Sirius reached the Transfiguration Room, they stopped to wait for the others. James looked around, peering over the heads of the oncoming students to see if Lilly was among them.

Remus caught up to them first, a puffing Peter not far behind him. Professor McGonagall was striding through the students milling around the door, her dark hair pinned in a bun underneath her witches' hat. James looked fretfully about for Lilly, calming when he saw her, his hand, as usual, going to his hair.


	4. Lessons begin and hair ends

"Sitting down, sitting down," Professor McGonagall's voice was clear over the hubbub of students, "_Quietly, _if you please, Mr Black, Mr Potter." Her gaze swept across the seated students, "I hope you have finished the Essay I set for you on Animagus Transformations." A number of alarmed gasps told her that not every body had.

"Well you should have," she snapped, "your NEWTs will be coming up soon, and you need that information behind you to successfully pass the test."

"NEWTs aren't for _ages,_ Professor. Why do we have to learn all this now?" it was a thin, whiny voice from two seats behind Sirius.

Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared, "They are close enough." She retorted, "Even if you had years to prepare you, Mr Pettigrew, you would hardly pass your NEWTs with flying colours. If you passed at all, the way you are going at the moment, it would be a miracle."

Peter blushed and looked down. Sirius, who had twisted in his seat, grinned at him encouragingly.

"Mr. Black, will you kindly stop leaning on your chair like that!" Professor McGonagall's voice whipped across the classroom.

Sirius grinned at her, "Of course Professor," he said calmly, putting all four feet of his chair back on the ground.

The Professor's mouth was a thin line, "You will hand in the Essay now please, Mr Black."

Sirius nodded solemnly, and fetched his parchment out of his bag with a flourish, handing it triumphantly to the Professor. He noted with some satisfaction that it was almost a foot longer than it needed to be. McGonagall accepted it reluctantly, then moved on to collect the essays from the rest of the class.

James was sitting next to Sirius so, naturally, his was collected next. Remus's must have been the extra long parchment with the elegant script. Sirius noted with just a little bit of contempt that Peter's Essay had messy scrawls and hastily written answers.

_Silly git should have done his Essay while we were_, he thought, the 'we' he was referring to being, of course, himself, James, and Remus.

"Thank you to the people who _did _hand the Essay in. to the other, less proficient people; you have three days. Each additional day that the Essay is late, I will take of a third of the marks, until you have no marks left to take. Thank you." She looked around the room, noticing with satisfaction that she seemed to have everyone's attention. Well, almost everyone's, "Mr. Black, Mr Potter. Please pay attention!" she snapped, as they straightened up, grinning at each other; not in the least apologetic.

"We are now going to be doing some practical work. Not," she added as Sirius sniggered, "that writing is not practical in itself. Wands out and at the ready please."

A shuffling greeted this order, as the students got their wands out of their pockets.

"Today, you will revise changing colour and style of inanimate objects," Professor McGonagall started; she gestured with her wand at a litter of poodle puppies in a pen next to her desk. It was obvious that their fur hadn't been cut for quite a while; their fur was long and curly. "The incantation _Adfecto commutatus_ with the wand flicking like so." She demonstrated with a flick of the wand towards one of the poodles, which immediately turned an emerald green colour.

Sirius grinned, remembering the lesson several years before where he and James had managed to turn Snape's hair a brilliant pink. Feeling the long locks on his head, he decided it was time for a change, perhaps when he had the hang of it again.

For the whole lesson, the poor poodles had to stand with having blue, pink, purple, or even multicoloured hair. James, grinning, turned the poodle's hair a deep read colour, making its fur grow long. Sirius noticed and turned to see Lily's reaction. She blushed and tried to transfigure her poodle's hair. She missed and the spell hit Peter, who was reprimanded directly by Professor McGonagall. She blushed, and opened her mouth to tell the professor her mistake.

"Not to worry," James interjected quietly, sashaying to her side, "I'll fix it." With a wave of his wand, Peter's hair was back to normal, leaving the Professor in mid scold.

Lily opened and shut her mouth. Quickly, with a hair ruffle and a grin, James moved back to his place.

Sirius smirked and opened his mouth. James stopped him, "Looks like Snivelous over there is going pretty well."

Sirius's expression changed quickly as he looked over at Severous Snape. He growled, "I can't make his hair any more greasy than it already is, Prongs. Look at it, it's dripping onto everything."

James grinned, pleased with himself for distracting Sirius from teasing him, "We could do a repeat of what happened last time we tried this spell."

Sirius smirked evilly. He nodded at James, "I'll take care of the hairstyle," he told his friend, raising his wand. In a few short seconds Snape had a new groove! His hair was now a stunning hot pink, and in a couple of plaited braids.

The two trouble makers watched innocently as Snape stood there, very still for a couple of seconds, unaware of what had changed. Then laughter rippled out from him, as more people turned to look. Remus turned around to see what was happening as Snape grabbed a pink braid and looked at it in disbelief. He shook his head, knowing who was behind it, "Twits." He muttered to himself.

The bell rang as Snape Transfigured his hair back to its normal, greasy locks. The students tittered with laughter as they filed out, James and Sirius hiding among them.

Sirius slowed, deciding now was the time for a change of hairstyle. He waved his wand at himself, murmuring the incantation. Lily stopped to look at him. She thought she had the wand flick right now. If she could just try it,"_Adfecto commutatus_" she whispered, then jumped as she saw Sirius's new hair: a spiked Mohawk now trailed across his head, bright blue and astonishing. It broke her concentration on what she wanted her hair to be. "Damn!" she whispered. Then she felt her hair change, spiking up into the style she had just seen. She closed her eyes in horror as she saw James look around for her again. She waited for Sirius's loud laugh to bring attention to her predicament; she was greeted instead by long hair falling down around her ears again. Startled, she opened her eyes. James lowered his wand and winked before turning and continuing on his way back to the Great Hall, and Lunch.


	5. Famous Last Words

**Famous Last Words**

The common room was relatively quiet that night, as the Marauders were out doing something silly. Lily laid out her homework and tried to get a decent amount of potions done but the day's events were reverberating around her head.

"He bloody winked at me once and now I cannot get him out of my head." Lily thought, her inner voice growling, "Even though he is completely gorgeous, with cute ruffled hair and…"

Her mental hand whipped across her face.

"Snap out of it girl, he's still a complete git!" she thought, grinning at her mad conversation with herself.

She bent over her parchment and began to write out the many uses of Venomous Tentacular spines in poisons.

The portrait swung in and Remus's voice reached Lily's ears.

"God damn it, Padfoot! What have I said about large, obvious hints in the Great Hall?"

He stormed into the common room, looking thoroughly irritated, with Sirius at his heels, leaping around like a playful puppy.

"Come on, Moony!" Sirius whined, "It was just a little joke! You know, 'it's that kind of month'? What's so obvious about that?"

Remus spun around and almost snarled wolfishly at Sirius.

"Not funny! Prongs will agree with me on this one!"

James had followed them into their rather loud corner of the common room. He raised an eyebrow at Sirius, who almost cowered.

"Padfoot." He started, frowning, "That was a huge risk. I reckon that some of the other students already might have guessed the secret but are too scared to say anything."

Sirius grinned feebly.

"But it was such fun!" He protested.

Remus shook his head, sadly.

"You know, it might be fun for you to walk a thin line about this in public but it's not for me. I walk too many already and you don't want to push it."

He spun around and hunched his shoulders over. Lily noticed that he seemed slightly larger than usual. His face also seemed more lined. Remus sighed and ran a hand through his brown hair, showing his strain.

"Especially not at this exact point in time."

Sirius swallowed and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder in an apologetic way.

"Sorry, mate." He said, meek for once, "I guess I kind of forgot what was happening with you."

James laughed and knelt in a praying position.

"Oh my god! This is a miracle! Praise the almighty lord!"

Sirius spun around and raised an eyebrow.

"What's up with you?" he wanted to know.

James stood up and ruffled his hair.

"I just think that I would never see the day that Padfoot apologises! Praise the lord!"

Sirius pushed James playfully and James chuckled. He grabbed Sirius in a headlock and the play fight escalated from there.

Lily groaned.

"Bloody hell, can't they just lay off for a little while?" she thought as she stood up and stormed over to the wrestling boys.

"Potter! Black! Some of us are trying to study!"

Remus looked at her, a smirk on his pale face.

"It's no use, Lily. You have no idea how many times I have tried to separate these two. Let them just get it out of their system."

He grinned at her and she noticed the slight pointing of his canines. She was beginning to realise something that made everything more sense.

Especially the prank that she had overheard.

Remus walked upstairs, shaking his head. Sirius and James! Sometimes he felt slightly left out but he knew that it was already too dangerous letting anyone get too close to a werewolf.

He stretched back and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He knew that the paleness of his face, the slight increase in size and the slight sharpening of his teeth meant that he wasn't far away from full moon. And he wasn't far away from the night that he would need all his control to stop from killing.

"Sometimes this really does reek." Remus though as he changed into his pyjamas, "Things would be better sometimes if I had died."

As he snuggled comfortably into his bed he looked out the window at the almost full moon. He shut his eyes and let sleep carry him off.

Outside his bane continued to move across the sky.

The next morning was kicked off by Sirius, who jumped on all of the beds until the Marauders were forced up and out into the day. He especially had fun with James.

"Come on, Prongs! Lily is waiting for you in the common room!"

James bolted dead upright and changed at the speed of light. He fixed his glasses and ruffled his hair. Grinning like a loon, he ran down the stairs.

Remus yawned and stretched.

"That was cruel to Prongs, Padfoot. You know she won't be."

Sirius shrugged as he finished putting on his robes.

"Mieh, easiest way to get him out of bed."

Peter laughed at the thought.

"I want to see his expression!" he cried with glee as he walked out of the room.

"What a silly bugger." Sirius remarked to Remus, who glanced at him with a smile and descended down the stairs.

"Sirius sighed and put his hands on his hips in triumph. He looked around at the empty room and scratched his head before realising that he was actually being left behind.

"Hey! Wait for me!" he called, running down the stairs after the rest of the Marauders.

Sirius skidded to a halt with the rest of the Marauders, including a very downcast James.

"Ha, aren't you a sucker?" He jeered.

James growled.

"Don't do that again or I will break those lovely white teeth of yours into a million shards." He threatened.

Sirius laughed, before realising he was actually serious. His smile disappeared like water down a drain.

"Ah, shorry den." He murmured, looking at the ground and attempting to speak without showing teeth.

James laughed and ruffled his hair as he caught sight of Lily.

"No problem, mate. Just don't do it again and you will be fine."

Sirius grinned as James took a deep breath.

"Morning, Evans." James said, his voice going deep.

Lily grabbed his arm.

"I need to talk with you, Potter." She muttered, her green eyes flashing.

Lily didn't know why, out of all the Marauders, she grabbed James. Maybe it was because Sirius was not as close to her, Remus was the main thing she wanted to talk about and she didn't particularly trust Peter.

She dragged him over to a corner of the common room, trying to ignore Sirius's snide comments, although an absolute gem reached her ears.

"Well, it looks like Prongs is going to find out whether Lily is a natural red head!"

Lily raised an eyebrow and shouted back at Sirius.

"Better him than you!"

She slapped her hands over her mouth at this rather open comment and blushed. James raised an eyebrow at her and quirked a slight smile, looking her up and down. Sirius barked a laugh and opened his mouth before Remus shot him a warning look.

Lily looked back at James and uncovered her mouth.

"I didn't mean that." She snapped.

James's smirk turned into a full-blown grin.

"It's ok, Evans. I have completely forgotten what that exchange was. Now tell me, was there anything else you wanted apart from me helping you to find out what your natural hair colour is?'

Lily opened her mouth to reply with indignation before James laughed.

"Just toying with you, Evans. What was it you really wanted?"

Lily took a deep breath.

"I know about Remus." She confessed.

Immediately James's face snapped into poker mode.

"What about Remus?" He asked lightly, though he spoke with steel.

"I know about him being a…" Lily started before James slapped a hand over her mouth. He looked around.

"Not here." He hissed.

James got to his feet.

"Walk with me."

James and Lily strolled through corridors while Lily told James all she knew. She told him about the guessing, the watching as Remus changed over the course of the month, the fact that he was absent at some of the prefect meetings almost every month.

James groaned.

"What else do you know?" he asked, rubbing his face.

Lily sighed.

"This is the most important part. I know about your prank."

James smiled and Lily noticed how white his teeth were.

"Which one?" he asked, roguishly.

Lily sighed again.

"The one about putting Severus Snape in mortal danger."

James's smile evaporated.

"Damn it, Evans." He cursed softly, "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

Lily nodded.

"Please, James. I'm not going to turn you in, because then everyone would know about Remus, but I am going to ask you. Please don't do this."

James grinned.

"You called me James." He commented, savouring the experience.

Lily groaned and grabbed his shirtfront.

"Potter!" she snarled as she pushed him against the wall, "Don't do this. Snape might be a bastard but this could kill him!"

James gasped in pain as a spiky candleholder dug into his back.

"Evans, you are hurting me!" He snapped.

Lily pushed harder.

"Promise me." She demanded.

The bell for the next class rang.

"Turn me loose, Evans." James hissed, "I don't think you want anyone to see us in this compromising position."

Lily, despairing, let him go. James smoothed down the front of his robes. Without a reply, he turned on his heel and stormed off towards the first class of the day.

Lily rubbed her temples. This was going to be one heck of a day.

Lily stumbled up to her room at the end of dinner. She collapsed on her bed, willing her life to change. She had gotten three new essays and she had to worry about the Marauders. James had been surprisingly discreet about the morning, although it didn't seem like he was planning to stop the prank.

Lily rolled off her bed and was about to get to her feet when a gleam caught her eye. She reached under one of her friend's beds to find a bottle of Firewhiskey.

Lily groaned and was about to throw it out when she spotted the label

"Ogden's Original Firewhiskey: leave all your worries in flame!"

Lily sighed. Surely one little tipple couldn't hurt…

Famous last words


	6. Just a Tipple

James walked into the common room. It was deserted, as it had been a late night for the Marauders. At that moment, Remus and Sirius were stealing food and Peter had already gone to bed.

James was about to follow Wormtail's example when he caught sight of Lily. She was sitting in a chair in front of the fire, swaying gently from side to side and singing under her breath. He walked over to her.

"Evans?" he queried.

Lily turned to face him with a giggle and James got a whiff of her breath. He immediately guessed what as wrong.

"Evans? Did you by any chance have a bottle of Firewhiskey?" He asked her.

Lily giggled.

"Just a tipple… hey, you look really tall from down here!" She slurred.

James shook his head sadly.

"Come on Evans, time for bed."

Lily looked up at him, her green eyes filled with anger as he reached down to take her arm.

"I hate you, James Potter." She murmured.

James's heart wrenched. He looked down.

"I'm sorry." He muttered.

Lily giggled.

"Not you! You are cool! I'm talking to the James Potter on the left!"

She pointed slightly next to James. James rolled his eyes.

"Come on, drunkard, time for bed." He said as he helped her to her feet. Lily laughed.

"I know your game, Mr Potter, but let me tell you! I'm not as drink as you thunk I am!"

James raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I think you are as drunk as I think you are, Miss Evans."

Lily giggled again and ruffled his hair playfully.

"You're confusing! I like you!"

James shook his head. Lily began to sway again.

"I feel a wee bit… sleepy." She commented before passing out in his arms.

James rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I suppose I shall have to carry you." He murmured and hefted her unconscious form into his arms, with her legs dangling over his left elbow. Lily was quite slight, so it was no problem for James, with his quidditch training.

James was so preoccupied with grinning in a smug way to himself that he forgot to step over the trigger step that would turn the staircase into a slide.

James and Lily tumbled down the stairs, with Lily ending up on top of James on the common room carpet. It was at that unfortunate moment that Sirius and Remus walked into the common room.

Sirius raised his eyebrows and Remus grinned.

"So, What's going on here then?" Sirius asked snidely, "couldn't wait until you were upstairs, could you?"

James gaped. It was then that Lily woke up.

"Mr Black." She slurred, "I'll have you know that I think you a most detestable creature…"

Lily looked down at James.

"Oh, hello there, Mr Potter. What are you doing under me, you naughty boy?"

James gently removed himself from under her. Remus chuckled. Lily fixed him with an emerald glare.

"What are you laughing at, werewolf boy?"

Remus's jaw dropped. He looked at James accusingly.

"I never told her!" James protested.

Lily laughed and got up shakily off the floor.

"I am too smart for you all!" she jeered, trying to do a drunken dance and almost falling over, "I found out on my own! Mr Potter tried to cover your tail but I found out!"

Remus went pale. Sirius gulped but Lily wasn't finished.

"I also know about the prank you are going to play on Snivellus, you naughty, naughty, naughty boys!"

She attempted to spank James but he caught her hands.

"That's enough, Miss Evans!" he growled, "Go to bed before I drag you up there!"

Lily pouted and slouched off up the stairs. James turned to Sirius, who scowled. Remus, on the other hand, looked positively delighted.

"I guess the pranks off." He said, quietly, "Now, if you will excuse me, I am off to bed. Goodnight Padfoot and Prongs."

Remus made his way up the stairs. Sirius sighed and scratched his scalp.

"Bugger. It would have been fun anyway to see Snivellus squirm."

James sighed.

"I think it would have been too risky."

Sirius drooped. James laughed.

"How about I make it up to you and turn his hair pink again."

Sirius barked a laugh.

"Dack him and you have a deal! I want to see how all over the spell is!"


	7. The Lens of Thomas Black

The Lens of Thomas Black.

Lily awoke with a groan. She glanced around her dormitory and whimpered as a sudden light hit her eyes.

"Good moooooooorning, Miss Evans!" Tamara, one of her roommates cat called, "Enjoy yourself last night with my Firewhiskey?"

Lily groaned and pulled the covers over her head.

"How the hell did you find out?' she asked, her headache banging a bossa nova on her temples.

Tamara pulled back the covers and grinned evilly as Lily shut her eyes fast.

"Sirius." She said simply.

Lily groaned again.

"Please tell me I didn't do anything stupid…" She pleaded.

Tamara laughed again.

"Well, you had better have a chat to one certain James Potter. According to Sirius, James had to carry you to bed last night. Oh, and you supposedly straddled him, as well."

Lily cursed.

"Please tell me that was Sirius exaggerating?"

Tamara laughed and threw Lily's towel at her.

"Go have a shower. You look like you need one. Then you might want to go have a chat to one of the boys."

Lily sighed and pulled the towel off her face.

"I'll talk to Remus. He's the only one that would probably give me any slack…"

Tamara grinned.

"I don't know. He seems really edgy at the moment, like he has his rags."

Lily nodded. If Remus was a werewolf, it would be logical that he might get a bit moody before the full moon. Tamara suddenly frowned.

"Go have shower, you stink of Firewhiskey, you alcoholic!"

Lily heaved a sigh as she set off to the bathroom. She needed to have a think about this and try to remember what the hell went on last night.

* * *

James awoke to find a warm body next to him.

"Oh. My. God. Please tell me it didn't happen... Please tell me it didn't happen." He thought, eyes shut.

The warm body shifted. James was startled into opening his eyes. They met a pair of light grey eyes… light grey eyes?

"Morning honey." Sirius leered.

James pretty much screamed.

"God please tell me this didn't happen! God please tell me this didn't happen!"

There was a howl of laughter from Peter and a low chuckle from Remus. Sirius kissed James on the forehead playfully before ruffling his hair.

"Hope you enjoyed your wake-up call." Sirius commented, a ridiculous grin on his face, "Sorry I didn't find a red wig in time!"

James punched Sirius in the shoulder and groped for his glasses.

"I hate you." He muttered.

Sirius fell on the floor, giggling.

"You should have seen your face! It was bloody priceless!"

James shot him a look.

"Shut up, alright?" He muttered.

Sirius grinned, flashing his white teeth.

"Of course, if you are going to be like that, I won't show you my new artefact, courtesy of the house of black."

Immediately, James smiled.

"Have I told you lately that you have the most beautiful eyes?" he grinned. James was not going miss out on this one!

Sirius laughed.

"Oh, so now you want me to continue? Ok then."

Sirius got up and walked over to his trunk. As he was undoing the locks, he began to explain.

"Does anyone here remember a muggle story about a lady who rode through the streets naked on a white horse, to make her lord get rid of the high taxes on the peasants?"

Remus nodded. Sirius grinned.

"Remember how a man named Tom lost his sight spying on her? He was nicknamed 'Peeping Tom."

Remus nodded again. James raised an eyebrow.

"What does that have to do with the price of dragon scales in China?" he asked.

Sirius laughed.

"Well, that man wasn't struck with blindness. He was actually not looking at her through the shutters. His real name was Thomas Black and he was looking at her through this."

With a flourish, Sirius withdrew a large magnifying glass with a frame of black iron from his trunk.

"Ta daa!"

Remus raised an eyebrow. He was looking rather tired and worn and, above all, grumpy.

"What the bloody hell is that?" he growled.

Sirius bowed and handed it to him.

"This, my wistfully wolfishly wobbler of a friend, is the Lens of Thomas Black. It can look through any thing." Here Sirius raised his eyebrows, "Apart from humans."

Remus grunted and handed it back to Sirius.

"No thank you, Padfoot, it's too late in the cycle of the moon for anything so vulgar."

Sirius chortled and focussed it on the wall.

"Hey, I can see the girls dormitory's from here!"

Immediately, Peter appeared behind Sirius's shoulder, his face eager.

"Really?"

Sirius spun around, grinning.

"Wormtail, you are as subtle as a sledgehammer. If you like one of the girls in there, go ask them!"

Peter blushed and retreated. Sirius barked out a laugh again and focussed the lens back on the girl's dormitory. His grin widened suddenly.

"Prongs, my old stag, you really must see this." He sniggered, throwing the lens at James.

James creased his forehead and focussed the lens on the wall. Immediately, he fell over backwards, his face in a huge smile.

"Padfoot? I love you." He murmured.

Sirius smirked.

"Thought you might like it."

James grinned back. Remus rolled his eyes.

"I'm taking a shower." He muttered as he stood up, his towel in hand.

Peter looked excitedly from Sirius to James.

"What was it? What did he see?"

Sirius just grinned and made his way over to the jug of water on the windowsill. He took a goblet full and threw it over James.

"Cool off, you raunchy teenager, you!" he sniggered as James bolted back upright, his pyjamas sopping wet. Sirius cringed, waiting for the punch. It never came. James was still grinning like a loon.

"God damn it." Sirius breathed, "That really got to you, didn't it?"

James just grinned wider. Seeing Lily Evans in the shower can do that to a person.


	8. Stress Relief

Stress relief

Lily walked to the great hall with her sunglasses on inside. According to one certain Tamara, it helps to relieve a drunken headache. Unfortunately, this wasn't working as well as planned. Her head was feeling like two porcupines were dancing a tango inside the front, spikes and all.

"Ow…" she muttered, rubbing her temples.

"Good Morning Miss EVVVVVANSSS!" a voice yelled in her ear, causing the porcupines to jump in alarm.

"Sirius Black! You detestable beast!" Lily snarled at him.

He grinned back.

"You already told me that last night, Lily… while we were in bed together!"

Lily took off her sunglasses and raised an eyebrow, her eyes blearily.

"You had better be joking, Mr Black." She muttered, "Or I'm going to take your wand and put it in your –"

"Good morning, Lily." James's voice gently commented behind her, "it's good to see you are well."

"In all parts, eh Prongs?" Sirius nudged James, "oh well, time for me to leave you on your feet, lily…. Prongs, she's really good!"

Sirius clicked his tongue and made a click gun shooting movement with his hand.

"Evans." He grinned before heading towards the table. Lily raised her glasses and looked at James.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

James blushed a roaring red and scratched the back of his head.

"Um…. Well…" he mumbled, "You see, the truth is I…. Have no idea what that was about." He finished lamely.

Lily crossed her arms.

"Mr Potter?" she asked, eyebrow raised. James gulped; desperately looking for a proverbial sign marked with a large red 'escape!'. He found it in Peter.

"Hey, Wormtail! Wait up?" he called and dashed off.

Lily sighed.

"I swear to god those boys are idiots." She muttered.

"I would hope you would not be including me, Lily." A quiet, hoarse voice commented dryly from behind her.

Lily jumped and spun around to meet the amber eyes of everyone's favourite werewolf.

"Remus!" she snapped, "do not sneak up on me like that again or I will hex you!"

Remus cocked an eyebrow.

"You can try." He said, a slight grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Remus was renowned for being the best at Defence against the Dark Arts, "I doubt you will be very successful."

Lily gulped, noticing Remus's canines. But she wasn't going to let him get away that easily.

"So?" she commented, casually, "when's the next full moon?"

Remus's eyes narrowed. He grabbed her arm and began to drag her into a corridor.

"We need to talk." He growled, "_Miss_ Evans."

* * *

Sirius looked up from the table just in time to see Remus drag Lily away into the corridor. He grinned and elbowed James in the ribs. James choked on his toast. 

"God, Padfoot, can't a man eat in peace?"

Sirius's grin widened.

"Even if one of the aforementioned man's friends is dragging the aforementioned man's crush out of the great hall into the corridor alone?" he asked innocently.

James's ears caught up with his brain.

"Huh?"

Sirius barked a laugh.

"I think Moony's trying to steal your girl." He stage whispered.

James levitated upright, a scowl on his face. Without another word, he spun on his heel and left the great hall, following Remus's footsteps.

Peter looked up at Sirius, whose face was contorted with a combination of shock and excitement. He nudged Sirius.

"Shall we follow them?"

Sirius's neck snapped around.

"Yes." He answered, perfectly straight apart from the wicked glint in his eyes, "Yes we shall."

* * *

Remus stopped in his tracks and spun around to face a very frightened Lily. 

"What the hell do you think you are trying to pull?" he snarled, grabbing her by the shoulders, "God, you might as well shout it out to the whole world!"

Lily swallowed, nervously.

"Remus, calm down." She replied, trying to cool Remus's full moon induced rage.

Remus snarled.

"Do you have any idea, any at all inside that uncontaminated brain of yours, what it's like to turn into a monster once a month?"

Lily nodded, trying to lighten the mood.

"Uh, Remus… I'm a girl… it's called periods."

Remus raised an eyebrow, his anger still bubbling.

"I'm attempting to be serious." He replied, his voice cold and wary.

Lily nodded.

"I know. I know. Look, it's ok, Remus, you can trust me with this one."

Remus's other eyebrow got bored and decided to join the first for a picnic. He leaned down.

"It seems like I do not have a choice, doesn't it?" he spat

Lily nodded again, trying to keep on Remus's good side.

"Any problem here?" James's voice called out.

The two people jumped and turned to look at one certain, very agitated James Potter. His hair was ruffled, his arms were crossed and he didn't look very happy at all, in any way whatsoever.

Remus leaned backwards, a strange glitter in his eye.

"No, Prongs… it's fine." He muttered.

James stormed forwards, the scowl on his face becoming more pronounced.

'What the hell did he say to you, Lily?' James asked, teeth gritted.

Lily had never seen James look angrier. She took a deep breath and stepped away from the lanky man beside her.

"I said something I shouldn't have." She muttered.

James frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Remus looked calmly at James.

"About my furry little problem, Prongs."

James laughed callously.

"Ha! And you wanted to talk to her without me here, right? Seriously it's not like it's just between you and her… unless there's more to it."

Lily's jaw dropped.

"How could you even think that I'd…"?

Remus gently pushed Lily back behind him.

"It's ok, Lily, let me handle this one." he whispered quietly to her, "James is just a little jealous."

James growled and drew his wand.

"Don't you even dare touch her, Wolf boy." He growled.

Remus raised his eyebrow again.

"What is it to you, Mr Potter, whether I touch her or not…. I mean it's not like she belongs to you."

James growled and pointed his wand in Remus's direction.

"Is this like a wolf thing? Looking for a mate are we?"

To Lily's astonishment, Remus smiled. Then she noticed that it wasn't a nice smile. Oh no, it was one of those watch-yourself-I-might-bite-back smiles. He took a step backwards and put an arm around Lily's shoulders. His grin widened as the colour slowly drained from James's face

"I think you might be overreacting, Mr Potter." He said calmly.

James snarled and raised his wand.

"I'll show you what over reacting is… _Relashio!_"

Before Lily could even blink she was being thrust aside. He was only saved from slamming into the wall by a pair of pale arms… attached to a Gryffindor Uniform… with messy black hair, grey eyes and a huge grin on his face.

"Sirius Black." She frowned, "Release me, if you don't mind."

Sirius tilted his head and led go of her. She fell to the ground, cursing at herself for being so stupid as to trust Sirius Black.

"Sure." He smirked and offered her his hand.

Lily scowled and grabbed it. She got to her feet and watched as Remus drew his wand. There were some scorch marks on his robes where the spark-throwing spell had hit him but apart from that there was no lasting damage.

"Can you stop this?' she asked Sirius.

It was Peter who replied.

"This is very typical of us… usually, it's Sirius and James who duel."

Lily raised an eyebrow at Sirius, who shrugged.

"Good for getting out stress… but I think that if Remus wants to hurt James, James is going to remain hurt. Remus is a brilliant dueller."

Lily looked back in horror, just in time to see James's jaw shift.

"_Furnunculus_!" he cried and waved his wand.

Remus smiled and called back.

"_Protego!_"

The spell went ricocheting off towards the stonewall, where it was dispersed safely. Remus spun around and jabbed his wand at James.

"_Silencio!_"

James was struck dumb. Remus exhaled.

"Right, now that I have gotten you to shut your big mouth…"

James clenched his jaw and waved his wand. A red jet of light shot at Remus, who blocked it easily and retaliated with silver light.

"Two can play at that game, Mr Potter." He said, calmly

Lily looked at Sirius.

"Non spoken hexes?' she asked.

Sirius nodded and grinned.

"Yep. Both of them."

Lily looked at James, whose feet were jerking around, making him look like a bad marionette.

"Tarantallegra?" she questioned.

Sirius laughed.

"Nope, that's how James normally moves…"

Remus pointed his wand at James.

"Let me just take that nasty stick away from you. _Expelliarmus!_"

James's wand went flying. Remus caught it with a grin and pointed both wands at James.

"I hate to quote Clint Eastwood, but are you feeling lucky, punk?" he grinned.

Sirius snorted in laughter.

"Give?' Remus asked.

James opened his mouth. No sound came out. Remus laughed.

"Oh, silly me. I forgot that you were dumb… and that you were unable to speak. Here, let me help. _Sonorus!_"

James sighed.

"Fine, ok… you win. What was it you were talking about?"

Remus grinned.

"I thought we had already covered that?"

James laughed.

"I'm sorry, Lily." He apologised, a goofy grin on his face, "I can't help it if you drive me crazy…"

Lily blushed. Sirius howled with laughter.

"Hey, now your face matches your hair!"

Lily shoved Sirius into the wall. James chortled.

"All right, Evans?"

Lily shot him a death look, just as James's face went slack.

"Snivellus." He growled.

Lily followed his gaze. Immediately, the entire corridor filled with tension so thick, you'd need a chainsaw to even make a dent in it. Severus Snape slouched up to the five of them.

"Well, well, well." He sneered, "If it isn't the four marauders and their pet mudblood… what a chance meeting."

James started forwards, only to have Remus put a hand out. Severus laughed.

"Oh dear me, is there trouble in paradise?"

Sirius folded his arms.

"No, but there will be if you don't sod off, Snivellus. Leave and take your filthy greasy hair with you!"

Severus laughed coldly.

"No, thank you very much, Blood traitor, but I think I'll stay right here. Maybe I'll even have some sport with the mudblood."

James scowled.

"Don't even think about it, Snivellus, or I'll have your head."

Severus stretched lazily.

"You cannot stop me, Potter, no matter what you do."

All of a sudden, like a rake in the grass, Severus had his wand in his hand and shouted out a curse at Lily.

"_Sectumpemra!_"

Lily screamed, but it was James who moved. He tugged her aside and cradled her in his arms, shielding her. Remus immediately reacted. He blocked the curse with one of the most powerful shields that Lily had ever seen and sent the purple light into the wall again. She was so shocked by what had happened, she put her head into James's shoulder and wept.

James soothed her.

"There, it's ok. Remus can kick Severus's arse from here to Drumstrang."

Remus threw James's wand back to him. James caught it and held it, ready to defend. But all of Severus's anger was now directed at Remus. He snarled and raised his wand.

"Like the air, Lupin? _Levicorpus_"

Lupin dived aside and rolled as the jolt of light hit behind him. He came back up, ready to attack.

"_Lacrimosus!_"

Snape fell to the ground, clutching his head.

"Argh! No! No! Father, no! Don't hit… No!"

Lily watched on in shock as Severus cried and screamed. She looked up into James's hazel eyes.

"What the hell kind of curse was that?" she wanted to know.

James exhaled.

"It's a NEWT curse, supposed to bring back painful memories… it's ok, the effects wear off in time. It's to give a distinct advantage in a duel, or so Moony tells me."

Lily watched on as Severus stopped shaking and screaming. He almost calmly got to his feet, his face hard.

"You… you… I'm going to make you pay for that…"

Severus raised his wand and screeched out a new curse.

"_Serpensortia!_"

A huge, black snake came flying through the air. It landed with a hiss and made towards Remus, who stood, facing the serpent in shock. Peter grinned and muscled his way forwards.

"I'll take care of this!" he waved his wand in a flouncy circular style. There was a bang and the snake flew up in the air. (a/n: Gilderoy Lockhart Style!).

"Wormtail, you idiot!" Sirius growled.

Wormtail gulped as the snake landed and made towards Remus. Remus raised his wand, just as Severus cried "_Locomotor Mortis!"_

Remus's legs snapped together. He growled, unable to jump away, to gather more time for a counter curse.

Lily looked over to Sirius who seemed to be muttering something. She was surprised at what she heard.

"Why does it always have to be me?" he mumbled, "Bloody terrific."

Sirius all of a sudden sprang forwards and grabbed the snake around its neck. It hissed and sank its fangs into his wrist. Sirius stiffened and feel to the floor, convulsing, slowly turning purple.

Lily gasped.

"Jesus!"

Remus snarled and pointed his wand at the snake.

"_Finite Incantatem!_"

The snake disappeared into smoke. He then pointed his wand at his legs.

"_Locomotor Mobile!"_

His legs sprang back apart. Finally, he pointed his wand at Severus, his hand shaking in rage.

"_Expelliarmus!"_

The offending wand went flying through the air and landed with a clatter in front of Remus, who kicked it behind him.

"James? Peter? Get Sirius to the hospital wing. Lily? Clear the way with your prefect badge."

James went to put a hand on Remus's shoulder.

"Moony, I…"

"Just go!" Remus ordered, "I can take care of this."

James nodded and hefted one of Sirius's arms over his shoulder.

"Come on, Wormtail, move your butt!"

Peter nodded and grabbed the other arm. Together, with lily, they began to drag Sirius off to the hospital wing.


	9. Hospital Bed Blues

"That was a mistake," Remus said quietly to Severus, who was lying on the floor, unmoving. His face was unreadable, but inside emotions were battling: fury and caution both had their claws out. He kept his wand, pointed at Severus' throat, steady. His ears, pointed as the moon waxed, twitched as he heard footsteps down the hall, and knew from the sound that they were Professor McGonagall's.

He stood still, refusing to be cowed by the presence of the Professor. Snape lay there, armed only by the hate in his eyes. One side of Remus' mouth quirked, "Good day, Professor McGonagall." He said, control over each syllable.

The Professor took in the scene silently. Severus Snape lay on the floor, his wand several feet behind Remus. _It was full moon soon_, she remembered. She made a fast decision, "You're late to class, boys. Go quickly, and I might forget this."

Snape got to his feet and hightailed it down the corridor. Remus turned, one eyebrow raised, still barely controlling his anger. He bowed slightly to the Professor, "May I go to see my friends?"

McGonagall frowned, "Where are Mr Potter and Mr Pettigrew?"

Remus' face set, "In the hospital wing; they escorted Sirius there."

McGonagall pursed her lips, "I'm sorry, Mr Lupin, but you must go to class." Remus hesitated, and McGonagall snapped, "Now!"

Remus inclined his head slightly, and stalked away to his class.

"Get out of the way!" Lily's voice cut through the crowds like a whiplash, people turned to stare at her. She was bristling with anger, her tear-streaked face set with determination, "Move!" she yelled, "I'm warning everyone here! Go, or I'll hex each and every one of you!"

Suddenly there was a lot of shuffling and the corridors cleared for the fire haired and tempered prefect. All the heads turned to watch James Potter as he and Peter pulled Sirius' limp body down the corridor, James taking most of the weight, as Peter was looking dumbfounded.

Whispers followed them, but Sirius wasn't in the conscious world to notice, although he would have appreciated the attention.

James shifted his grip on Sirius' arm, and sighed in relief as he saw the hospital wing ahead. He didn't mind carrying Padfoot, but all those second servings did count.

Madame Pomfrey bustled out as they entered the 'wing, "What has he done now?" she asked James, who grinned worriedly at her.

"Bitten by a curse snake," He said.

She tutted and got out her wand, waving it in a complex motion around Sirius' hand. James looked at it. It was swollen, purple and green tinged it. Angry red lines raced up Sirius' arm, and blood oozed from the tiny pricks on his hand.

Madame Pomfrey indicated that they place Sirius on one of the beds, then she picked up her skirts, and swept out to the back room, returning with a dark potion. She poured some into a cup, then tipped some down Sirius' throat. When she was certain he had swallowed some, she took out her wand and whispered, "Rememdium."

Sirius' hand shrank, the lines fading as they watched. James sank into one of the chairs in relief as Sirius' breathing returned to normal, instead of the shallow breath it had been before.

Madame Pomfrey took the potion back to the room, a look of relief on her face, and Lily sat on Sirius' other side. Peter was just moving to sit down when Madame Pomfrey returned.

"Only two visitors at once, during _class times_," she said shortly.

James looked at Peter, _"Go on."_ He mouthed.

"What?" Peter asked, not taking the hint.

James looked from Peter to Lily. He tilted his head towards the door, then he looked back to Peter again, message clear in his eyes… to anyone apart from Peter Pettigrew.

"What?" Peter asked again, mouth open.

James sighed; it was time for drastic action. He stamped on Peter's foot, away from Lily's gaze, then leaned forwards and hissed, "Go to class!"

Understanding finally bloomed in Peter's eyes, _Oh,_ he mouthed. He stood, massaging his foot, "I, um… need to get to class." He said, and limped off, leaving James and Lily, finally, alone.

Lily looked at his retreating back, "What happened with him?"

"Oh, nothing." James said, and grinned when Lily looked at him, one eyebrow raised, "That's just Peter. He's normally like that."

Lily smiled, "That's what he said about your dancing."

James looked nonplussed, "Huh?"

Lily laughed and indicated Sirius, "When Remus caught you with the Tarentella curse, I asked Sirius about it and he said not to worry; that was just the way you usually moved."

James smirked, "You were worrying about me?"

"No!" Lily snapped.

James winked at her, "Whatever you say, Evans."

Lily rolled her eyes and looked away, creating a silence for a few minutes.

"So…" James began hesitantly, looking at Lily over the bed, and Sirius' still limp body, "What class are you missing?"

Lily tilted her head, "Potions." She smiled, "But Slughorn won't mind."

James frowned slightly, "He forgives _anything_ you do. I swear he's obsessed with you."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "Jealous are we?"

"No," he paused, "I… just…" Lily looked at him steadily and James threw up his arms in resignation, "He likes you a lot. It's probably because you're so good at potions, but you're good at everything."

Lily blushed and flapped a hand at him. James thought for a second, "Except perhaps Quidditch."

Lily's flattered grin slipped, "Shut up; I've never been good at that," she searched for a good way to say it was an idiotic fool's game without hurting his feelings, "Sport. Fun to watch, but other than that." She shuddered.

James grinned at her, "Well, there's also Transfiguration."

She stopped smiling, "Shut up."

"And –"

"Shut up!" Lily looked at something to chuck at James, green eyes flashing angrily.

James still grinned at her, unperturbed, "Getting feisty now, aren't we?"

"Potter," she growled, "Here I was, being nice and civil."

"Well, I _did_ save you back there," he said grinning slightly.

Lily looked as if the wind was taken from her sails. She looked down, "You're right," she said meekly, "I'm sorry."

James gaped at her; he hadn't expected at _apology_, especially from Lily Evans, then he closed his mouth, "It's ok, Evans; least I could do."

Lily looked up at him, "Still, I haven't thanked you."

"No need, Evans, you'll just embarrass us both."

"Oh, tch," Lily leaned forwards and hugged James

"I _knew_ it!" Sirius sat up, and pointed at James, "And to think, you were watching her in the shower just this morning!"

"_What?_" Lily yelped, she turned furious eyes to James, "Explain."

James looked at her, lost for words.

"Oh, quit the landed fish impersonation!" she snapped, "You know the answers; tell me why you were perving on me this morning – and what happened last night!"

James sat there, mouth agape. He blinked, and blinked again.

"Don't bother, Potter," she growled, "I'll find the answers; without you trying to sweet-talk me." She turned and stalked out of the Hospital wing.

James turned back to Sirius, who looked slightly contrite, "Sorry, Prongs," he muttered, "I shouldn't have said that one, huh?"

"That's for sure," James said shortly, and looked at the door, "Oh hell. Evans, _wait!_" he ran after Lily.

"Oh dear," Sirius said to the empty air where James had been, "I really think that that one was honestly all my fault."

"Lily!" James called again as he chased after her, "Lily wait! Please wait!"

Lily spun around violently, and tripped. James caught her arm as she fell, but as she got on her feet, she wrenched it from his grasp, "Don't touch me," she hissed, eyes burning.

He looked at her, eyes pleading, "Please, Lily, calm down."

"Calm down?" she screamed, and shoved his chest, "Here I am, thinking that I might have overlooked that tiny little bit of you that was decent. It doesn't even exist!"

James looked sadly at her, "I'm sorry, Evans."

Lily narrowed her eyes, "It hurts so much more when you're sorry." She sneered.

James clenched his teeth, "Well, I am."

"Really?" she asked sarcastically, "You are now, when I was being nice a friendly towards you. I bet you weren't this morning!"

James grimaced, "Sirius should be shot"

"What?" she snapped, "Where does Sirius come into this? Apart from being the one who actually informs me that you were perving on me!"

James ran a hand through his hair, "He's the one who was looking through the walls in the first place."

"Sirius saw me too!"

James mentally whacked himself over the head, "Well, you see," James began, not meeting her eyes for long, "Sirius always collects…" He paused, looking for the right words, "_artefacts_ from his home."

"Keep going." Lily said as James paused. She was concentrating on not letting her foot tap impatiently.

James continued slowly, treading carefully around both Lily's temper and the consequences that might occur from rash words, "And they're not all… entirely legal."

"Yes?" Lily asked, pretending to be patient.

"Well, this was the Lens of Thomas Black… or Peeping Thom." He looked at her, "You know the legend?

"I'm _Muggle-_born, Potter," she said, stressing the first part of the word; the one that was such a disgrace in the wizarding world, "I know their legends."

"Yes, I know. But Sirius, shall we say, _recovered _it." He wrinkled his nose; this was not the way he liked to talk.

Lily almost grinned in spite of herself; they both knew that Sirius stole it, "He stole it, you mean."

James grinned at her, "Well to put it bluntly, yes."

Lily felt her anger flare up at him again, _how dare he grin at her in a way that made her stomach flutter!_ She rallied her anger again, "So Sirius steals this artefact, then looks through the walls of the dormitories, at me and my friends, I might add, and instead of trying to stop him, as would be honourable, you decided you wanted a look."

James frowned, "Well, it's the closest I'm going to get to you, isn't it?

"Meaning, what?" she snapped.

James ran a hand through his hair again, "I like you, Lily. I love you."

Lily snorted derisively, "Yeah, sure," She said, and then continued spitefully, "You don't even know the _meaning_ of the word."

"Maybe, but I know it better than _you_."

Yeah?" she hissed, and poked him in the chest, "Prove it."

I know that your eyes sparkle when you're angry, or laughing. I know that you sit in the library to do your homework, but you refuse to read in there. I know that you like strawberry jam on toast for breakfast on weekdays, but on the weekends, you eat porridge.

Lily took a step back, then she narrowed her eyes, "That just proves that you're a perverted stalker," she said, all anger gone from her voice, leaving it cold

"I am not." He said callously.

"No? Well, everything you've done – and said – so far screams that at me"

James turned pained eyes away from Lily, "You hate me."

Lily paused. Do I? I used to, but even then, I didn't really _hate_ him. "No I don't. But I don't see why you should spy on me early in the morning, when I'm hangover and looking ugly.

"You could never look ugly Lily, you and I both know that." James remarked blushing.

Lily looked down, shamefaced at her outburst. "Then I get to confiscate the blasted thing?

"The lens?" James yelped; Sirius would kill him

Lily narrowed her eyes at him, "What do you think I mean?"

James winced, "Anything else?"

"No. I want the lens of Thomas Black. Give it to me, if you please."

James tried to worm out of it with a little Potter charm, "It, eh?"

Lily, having none of it, screamed, "Potter!"

James raised his hands in mute supplication for mercy from Sirius, "Alright, alright." He said, long sufferingly, "I'll go and get it." As he jogged away, he tossed over his shoulder, "Even if you just want it to look at me!"

He turned the corner, effectively destroying any comeback Lily might have given.

**The end of another chapter. Please review and try to be nice. :) Thank you to all that have reviewed so far. It's been really great to hear your feedback. **

**Stay tuned to the next instalment of Interesting Notion. **

**From: PurpleLight, silveredscales, and midsummer nach dream. **

**Thanks Guys! **


	10. Of Ink and Arguments

Chapter 10 (I think) (title goes here)

"Ok, Mr. Black, you are free to go–"Madame Pomfrey paused as Sirius pulled back the covers of his hospital bed and bolted towards the door.

"And please try to keep your self out trouble, or at least mortal danger." Yelled Madame Pomfrey as Sirius thanked her and ran out the room.

Sirius kept running until he finally slowed his pace down, and began to walk towards the Great Hall, where everyone was having lunch. Sirius had been sitting in the hospital wing for over an hour, thinking over what happened earlier this morning. Every thought that went through his mind, made him madder and madder.

Images flashed in his mind, of James and Remus fighting, of Snape interrupting, of the snake, of the pain that surged through his hand and up his arm.

_All of which were Snape's fault, and for every single one of them Snape will pay the consequences , in the best way I can imagine_. Sirius was thinking angrily as he opened the great double doors that gave him entrance to the Great Hall.

People stopped and turned as Sirius sauntered towards the Gryffindor table. He sat down and without saying a word to James, Remus, Lily or Peter who were all staring at him, he began to pile his plate with food, as though he hadn't eaten for a week. The Marauders and Lily continued to stare at the obviously hungry Sirius until James had enough of the silence.

"Woah, Sirius, you have been in hospital for what? An hour?" James laughed as his friend began to stuff potatoes, two at a time, in his mouth.

"I missed breakfast!" said Sirius through his potato, bits escaping from his hungry mouth.

"No you didn't!" Exclaimed Peter who was laughing at him as well.

"Mieh" Sirius shrugged and continued to eat by shovelling fooddown his throat as fast as he could it seemed, only pausing briefly to breathe.

Lily rolled her eyes at Sirius and the laughing Peter and turned to James.

"Did you get it?" she hissed at him quietly, but not nearly quietly enough. For Remus, who was sitting next to James heard her.

"Got what?" inquired Remus, his eyebrow raised.

Lily widened her eyes innocently, "Why, the lubricant of course!"

James' eyes lit up in excitement. "Really?"

"No!" Lily yelled, shocked that he took the joke so seriously.

"Don't change the subject," Remus said. "Even though it was a nice try doing so." He smiled. "What did you get James?"

"I don't know…what did I get Evans?" James asked putting on a ridiculous face.

"You idiot!" Lily exclaimed. "What were we talking about in the hall?"

"Umm… how nice you looked?" James guessed, hoping that the compliment would make her shut up about the mirror.

"No Potter… If your head is so full with that ego of yours, you can't even remember what occurred basically twenty minutes ago, I shall have to spell it out for you, in nice _simple_ words so that you can understand." Lily glared at James, obviously annoyed. James closed both of his eyes, and braced him self for what Sirius would say, if he was bothering to listen. James opened one eye. She hadn't said anything…yet.

"We," Lily started to say. James closed his eyes again. "Were… talking…about how you were going to give me that blasted mir…" she stopped when she saw Sirius' face look up from his nearly empty plate. Sirius swallowed the mouthful of whatever he was eating and looked to the cringing James, then Lily and then back to James again. James noted the silence and opened his eyes.

"You told her about the mirror, didn't you?" He said coldly.

_Damn, _James mouthed. He opened his mouth to explain but Sirius stopped him with a hand. "Don't bother Prongs." Sirius stood up and was about to step over the chair when he saw Snape from over the other side on the room sneering at him. Sirius snarled and stormed out of the Great Hall, his anger fuming.

_This is all Snape's fault, everything always is, and it's that slimeball's fault Lily and James are fighting, it's his fault that Lily wants my precious mirror and it's his damn fault that Remus is a werewolf... ok, that probably stretched the blame a bit too far, but everything else damned is! _Sirius sighed as he walked out of the Great Hall and made his way outside for a breath of fresh air.

* * *

"What's wrong with him?" asked Lily, completely lost. James turned to face her.

"I have one word for you Evans, that pretty much sums all this up; _Snape_." James said looking over in the direction of the Slytherin table.

"Oh…yes, well I suppose that does explain his reaction. Snape always brings out the worst in people." Lily surmised. "It's rather sad, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," said Remus shaking his head. "and that tendency is shown very well around Sirius and James. They are worse than opposites, because they simply will not mix. Oil and milk."

"Hey! That's only because he's a slimy git!" Added James grinning. Remus just rolled his eyes.

"Well, somebody had better go and check on Sirius, and see if he's alright." Lily said, looking over in the direction of the doors of the Great Hall.

"What is it with girls and checking on people? I mean, if he wants to be alone, let him." James remarked.

"Great best friend _you_ are." Sneered Lily.

"Oh well at least I don't go running around saying" James put on a high pitched feminine voice and said, "Hey wait for me, please, tell me all your problems because I'm a nosy girl, so therefore I can help!"

"You are impossible James Potter!" Lily spat and walked off in the same huff that Sirius did moments before. Just as the double doors slammed shut in her aftermath, the bell rang for 5th period.

"Well I guess I'll be seeing her sooner then she hoped." James smirked. "We have History of Magic together." James sighed dramatically, "Well I'm off. If I don't return, say something nice about me at my funeral." James mock saluted, grinned and left Remus and Peter sitting at the nearly empty Gryffindor table.

"Better get to class then," Peter sighed and stood up to fast causing him to knock into the table and bump all the goblets half full of pumpkin juice over the place.

"Oops." Peter said moving rather quickly towards the doors in which James had exited. Remus looked over at the staff table and saw Professor McGonagall shaking her head at Peter's clumsiness, and then saw her wave her wand at the vast mess Peter had made and turn back to Professor Slughorn, who she appeared to be in a deep conversation with.

* * *

The door of the classroom opened with a squeak. Lily walked in and had the entire class staring at her. Professor Bings, who was at the front of the class turned and looked at her.

"Miss Evans," he said peering at her from over his folder he was holding. "You are late… but…seeing as this is your first misdemeanor I'll over look it. Please take a seat…over there by Mr. Potter." Professor Bings waved his hand in the direction of James' table and continued his talk on the importance of homework completion to successfully pass the unit while Lily made her way over to the table James was sitting to one side to. James began to say something when Lily interrupted him abruptly.

"Don't say a word, Potter," she snapped before he opened his mouth fully.

"I wouldn't dream of it Lily flower." Smirked James as Lily sat on the other side of the table, as far away from James as she could manage. It was like this for the rest of the lesson.

James and Lily worked in silence, the only exception being when Lily ran out of ink, and had to ask James to borrow his. He gladly shared but it was an inconvenience for Lily, because James had left his inkbottle was in the middle of his books, and Lily suspected that this lack of moving the bottle was so she had to lean over him to use it. _I bet he doesn't mind that at all, _Lily thought heatedly._ In fact, I'll bet a thousand Galleons it was deliberate!_ It put her in a rather foul mood, so that when the bell rang for 6th period, Lily dumped her books in her bag and stormed out of the classroom. James sighed and did the same thing, following her in the direction of the common room.


	11. Slip of the Tongue

Disclaimer: Aye, it is me… no, not Purplelight, well, one of the authors of this one… oh, nevermind. These are JKR's characters, not mine… I want Sirius though! And some of it is from another author… you'll come to that when you get there!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Slip of the Tongue  
**

Sirius stalked around the edge of the lake, simmering. _Stupid Snape, _he thought, taking his anger out on an old enemy rather than an old friend. He needed something to get back at Snape. He wanted something that wouldn't necessarily hurt his enemy, but would scare him so much that he might actually have to change those greying underpants of his.

He chuckled to himself, some of his rage lifting as he remembered what he and James had done after the OWLs last year.

"Black," Snape's greasy voice, almost as oily as his hair made Sirius's name sound like an insult.

Sirius's anger returned full force as he saw Snape, leaning against one of the trees, "Snivelly," he sneered, and strode towards him, fingers clenched around the wand in his pocket, "What are you doing here? I would have thought you were marking the pages in the Library with your grease, it dripping off your nose and onto the parchment. Tell me, which ones were you reading? I don't want to drop them because my fingers were covered in your slime."

Snape's eyes filled with loathing and he plunged his hand into his pocket for his wand. Sirius already had his though he whipped it out, shouting, "Impedimenta!" as he did so. The curse flew across the short space between them, and hit Snape right on his hooked nose.

Snape glared as Sirius swaggered towards him, smirking. "Well, Snivelly," he said, wand still out and ready, "What curse could I use on you?" he grinned at his enemy, helpless before him. An idea came into his mind, and his temper cooled a little at his plan, _Well_, he thought, smiling grimly to himself, _it looks like the Marauder's plan is still going ahead, even if it's just going to be me carrying it out_. Sirius sneered again, and leaned forward to tell Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow. Turning on his heal, he strode away, temper much improved, leaving his enemy immobilised and curious.

* * *

James clambered through the Griffindor Common room portal. He thumped onto the couch in front of the fire. He pulled his bag close to him and rummaged in it until he found an inkbottle. 

It was small and made of ivory… with "Property of Lily Evans" engraved on it. _Ah_, He thought, smiling, _Works every time._

He looked up and tried not to look too guilty as Remus came in, looking tired and haggard, _Full moon's tonight_ James remembered, and grinned, thinking about the adventures they had had in the night of the full moon last month.

"Hey, Moony!" James greeted him a little too cheerfully, his hand moving to cover Lily's inkbottle.

Remus wasn't going to be fooled that easily, "What've you got there, Prongs?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing!" James exclaimed innocently, widening his eyes at Remus, who narrowed his eyes in response.

"Interesting subject, nothing," Remus commented dryly, "Brings out the most amazing reactions in people." (AN: yes, we stole it from Trudi Canavan's High Lord, hey, it's Fanfiction, isn't it? besides, it's a good book, so READ IT! … and go read Harry Potter while you're at it… actually, since you're reading this fanfiction, you probably already have… nevermind… on with the story!)

James blushed and opened his hand to reveal the ink. Remus raised an eyebrow. When James showed him the name labelled on it, Remus's mouth twitched sideways, "James… You know that Lily is going to murder you, don't you?"

James looked up earnestly, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her!" he said, grinning and fluttering his hand to wave away all accusations. He ruffled his hair as he saw Lily walk in through the portrait, her eyes still smouldering.

She saw him lounged on the couch and minced over, her hair swinging behind her. James watched her, grinning smugly as she stopped in front of him, "Alright, Evans?" he asked.

She jabbed him in the chest with her finger, "Potter," she snapped, "You promised me the dratted mirror. Well, here I am. Is the mirror here?" As James gaped at her, she poked him again, "No, I didn't think so. Off you go: get it." James stared at her for a minute longer while she tapped her foot, her patience obviously long gone, "Now!" she snapped, and James leapt up and ran to his dormitory.

He rummaged in his trunk, then remembered that it was Sirius's mirror to start off with, and went to Sirius's trunk. He looked into the mess of clothes and saw the Peeping Tom Mirror, strewn next to the mirror that he had the pair to. Here he paused, remembering the conversations that he and Padfoot had had over that mirror. He swayed, loyalty to his best friend warring with his fear of Lily's wrath.

"I'm waiting, Potter!" Lily's voice from the bottom of the stairwell made James do a fair impression of levitating, without magic. James leaned down and snatched the mirror from Sirius's trunk, before turning and running back to Lily at the bottom of the stairs.

He held out the mirror, and Lily took it, a look of curiosity and suspicion on her face. She looked through it, and gasped as she saw through the material on James's leg, "It works," she whispered.

James frowned her, "What are you looking at?" he asked, shifting slightly.

Lily blushed, "Nothing," she muttered, and put the mirror in her pocket. She looked up at James for a moment, before turning and mincing back the stairs to her dormitory.

James stared after her for a second, then went to sit on one of the couches before the fire. He looked moodily into the flames, before the sound of the portrait swinging forwards caught his attention. His head swung around as Sirius bounded through the Portrait. James put his head in his hands, and hoped that Sirius wouldn't see him; not if he was in the same mood that he was in when he had left the Great Hall.

No chance. Sirius bounced across the room to him, stopping about half an inch from his friend, "Hey, Prongs!" he greeted, and flomped into one of the chairs beside him.

James looked at him suspiciously; Sirius should not be in such a good mood… unless he had pulled a prank, "What have you done?" he asked.

Sirius widened his grey eyes, "Nothing!" he said, and shrugged, trying to avoid the question.

James narrowed his eyes. The only thing that would really cheer Sirius up would be pulling a prank, and the only thing that would cheer him up that much would be... James inspected Sirius over his glasses, "You told Snape, didn't you?" it wasn't a question.

Sirius gaped at him, "How do you do that?" he asked, and sat back in the chair, dumbfounded.

The echo of James's voice could be heard around the Great Hall, "_SIRIUS BLACK!_"

* * *

A/N: Yes, I know; it's short and i'm sorry... sorta, but that bit just wrapped it up nicely! now, Review! pwease?  



	12. Lunar Activities

James grumbled under his breath as he ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"Bloody Sirius. If Snivellus is in any way damaged then, by Merlin, I think he has gone too far this time."

He reached the common room and swept his invisibility cloak up over his shoulders, cursing as it snagged on his knee.

"I think I'm a bit too tall for this now." He reflected, "now to undo Padfoot's dirty work…"

"Where are you going?" said a low voice from the couch in front of the fire. The silhouette turned around to reveal a very cold stare coming from one Sirius Black.

"Speak of the devil." James thought, sighing.

"I'm going to undo your dirty work, Padfoot." He replied quietly, repeating his thoughts.

Sirius grinned, his smile not one of happiness. The light from the flames flickered on half of his face.

"Why would you want to do that? It's just getting rid of an outstanding problem. And if he survives, what about Moony's secret?"

James had to admit he had a point. If Snape survived, he would tell everyone about the werewolf in their midst. But it would be worse than murder if he let a relatively innocent boy go to his death. No matter how bad Snape ever was, James still had morals. It was just plain wrong.

"Padfoot, what you are doing is… wrong. Its like you-know-who murdering Muggle-borns."

Sirius's face went slack, almost empty, and James knew he had hit a sore spot.

"I'm sorry." James sighed, "It's true. And if you weren't ever blinded by your anger, you would think so too."

He strode out of the common room, flicking his invisibility cloak into place.

Sirius knew he had left when the portrait swung shut. He sighed and looked back into the fire, it reflecting in the centres of his grey eyes.

"Maybe Prongs is right." He thought, rubbing his face, "maybe I have overstepped the line."

Sirius thought of Snape in Remus's claws…

"Nah. No way!"

There was a thud as Peter stumbled down the stairs.

"Are we going out?" he asked Sirius, his eyes alight with a strange mischief. Of course he knew about the Snape prank.

Sirius sighed.

"No, I am going for a walk. You should get to bed."

Peter sighed.

"I haven't been out for ages." He whined.

Sirius sighed.

Fine, you can go. But I want to be alone."

"Alone as one can get on a full moon." He added silently as he walked out of the common room, snatching a cloak off a chair.

------------------------------------

Lily sighed and, proverbially and realistically, let her hair down. She ran her fingers through her long red locks, humming softly. She stretched like a cat and then reached into her backpack.

The lens came out, sparkling as the moonlight from the window hit it. Lily sighed.

"So what the hell is this thing?" she thought, waving it backwards and forwards.

She glanced at it in a half-hearted manner. It was truly a wonderful piece of magic mechanical work, but it still had a slightly, well very, lecherous manner about it.

There was a flash of pale pink that caught her eye. She stopped waving the lens around and stared deep into it.

Suddenly she fell over backwards, rubbing her eyes with a whimper.

"I just saw James Potter's butt! Holy shit, I just saw the big-heads butt."

She groaned softly.

'He had a nice arse, though."

The afterthought shocked her.

She most certainly wasn't checking him out!

Well, ok, maybe a little bit.

Lily bet her head slowly on her bedpost before coming to her senses.

What was Potter doing outside of the dorms at this time of night? What was he planning on a full moon?

As Lily ran downstairs, another thought reached her brain.

"_Why did she even care?"_

--------------------------

Lily ran down into the moonlight. She didn't know where she was going, or what she was going to do once she found James. A few thoughts rushed over her mind.

"I'll give him detention! I'll tell Professor McGonagall!"

A snide little voice piped up.

"Or maybe, you'll just hug him for worrying you."

She screeched to a stop and shook her head, dislodging any disturbing thoughts.

Sometimes she hated her brain.

Lily grumbled and kept running, her worry increasing. She was heading towards the forbidden forest.

"I think not." She thought, "I'm going to go right alongside it. I'm not as crazy as some people I could mention."

"Don't you mean brave and dashing?' the snide voice was still there.

Lily growled and blocked it out. She must be going crazy.

Lily kept running, losing her bearings in the darkness. Suddenly, her feet were swept out from underneath her and she landed on her behind with an 'oomph'.

Something whistled over her head and she knew where she was.

The Whomping Willow.

She got to her feet, spun around and ran smack bang into Severus Snape.

He staggered, his greasy hair flopping into his eyes.

"Evans! You stinking little Mudblood! What are you doing out here?"

Lily clenched her fists in rage.

"It is none of your business, Snivellus, why I am out here. The question is, however, why are you out here? I am a prefect and I order you to get to bed."

Snape drew himself up.

"You dare to order me, mudblood? You filthy little wretched piece of slag dares to command Severus Snape?"

Lily growled.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Slime-ball."

Severus went pale, his nostrils flaring. Then he did the most insulting thing he could do at that time.

He spat on her.

Lily gasped in shock and disgust. Snape used the distraction to push her behind him.

"Go back into the castle, Mudblood. I don't want you stinking up my space with your filth."

Lily bit back tears and retorted to his back.

"You're doing a fine enough job of that on your own, Grease-bag."

Snape didn't even turn around. Lily supposed that he hadn't heard her. She crouched on the ground, crying softly. It still stung when Snape called her a mudblood or any of those other insulting terms he used.

And to spit on her! Lily wiped it off her cheek with a tear-covered hand. That was the worst of all, worse than the names.

Suddenly, Lily heard a creak as the Whomping Willow stood perfectly still. She furrowed her brow and stood up.

She approached the tree cautiously. Nothing happened. Not a twig moved. Lily exhaled a nervous breath and continued to walk.

There was a scream from a voice that sent shivers up her spine, a voice she had heard but minutes before.

Something seriously bad had happened to Snape. Lily was half happy, as he deserved it… but something wasn't right about tonight.

Lily ducked around the trunk of the tree and was greeted with a horrific sight.

A werewolf was clawing its way out of the Whomping Willow trunk towards Snape, who seemed paralysed with fear.

And with Snape was James, his face stern, his hair even more ruffled than normal. Snape took one look at James and bolted.

The werewolf howled and Lily could see its eyes. They were dark amber…

Remus Lupin was out of control.

It sniffed the air and began to head towards James, who ran away into the forest, obviously sprinting for his life. But the werewolf stopped and sniffed the air again. James skidded to a halt, a confused look on his face as he realised that he was no longer the werewolf's prey.

The werewolf glanced over it's shoulder, fangs gleaming and Lily knew who it was that Remus had chosen.

It was her.

The werewolf crouched low and sniffed the ground. Lily gulped. Maybe if she stood still…

Suddenly the werewolf sprung and Lily fell backwards onto her back. The werewolf towered over her, licking its chops. Lily screamed, her eyes darting over to where James was standing.

He wasn't there anymore. Lily felt a solitary tear run down her cheek.

"This is it." She thought, "He never cared. I'm just werewolf food…"

The werewolf snarled and raised a claw. Lily screamed again and raised an arm, trying in vain to protect herself from the impending death.

Strangely enough, the sound of hooves reached her ears. She shut her eyes trying to block out her fate

The Werewolf growled and snapped and the claw descended.

Lily heard the hooves louder and the werewolf gave out an anguished howl. Lily opened her eyes with a start.

A tall stag, with a full head of antlers, stood in between her and the werewolf, the marks of the werewolf's claws along its side. The stag swept Lily up with his antlers onto his back and spun around to face the werewolf, head and antlers first.

The werewolf howling in annoyance at having it's prey taken from it. It raised a claw and the stag butted the werewolf's chest, sending it back into the now reactivated branches of the Whomping Willow.

The stag then turned on his back hooves and galloped off, with Lily holding onto his neck for dear life (a/n: yes, I know this is an old joke but hey!).

The stag suddenly skid to a halt and let Lily slide off his back. She turned around and held out a hand. The stag snuffled into her palm, making her smile.

As she used her other hand to stroke his neck, the stag looked up.

"Hazel eyes." She thought, "Odd, for a deer."

Then the stag reared and galloped off into the forest, leaving Lily alone.

Or relatively alone.

"Miss Evans." The voice came from under a tree.

Lily spun around, drawing her wand. To her utmost surprise, it was Sirius Black who was leaning against the tree, with a long black cloak draped over his shoulders. He looked particularity sinister, with only a strip of moonlight illuminating a small part of his face, an ear and an eye.

"Fancy meeting you here." Sirius continued, nonplussed, "I was wondering what all the commotion was about."

He didn't have his wand drawn, as his arms were crossed, so Lily lowered hers, strictly out of courtesy.

"Why are you out here?' she asked him, shivering a bit. The cold was getting to her.

Sirius sighed and undraped the cloak. He threw it at her and she caught it.

"James would hate it if I let you get a cold."

Lily sniffed a bit as she draped the cloak around herself, drawing it tight. It smelled familiar. Lily looked up at Sirius.

"He wouldn't care. He ran away from the werewolf tonight, leaving me for dust."

Sirius laughed darkly.

"_James_ could have done nothing…"

Lily noticed the strange slant Sirius put on James's name.

"What do you mean?" she asked, accusingly.

Sirius laughed coldly again.

"Getting concerned are we?"

Lily looked down.

"Not at all." She mumbled.

Sirius chuckled. Lily realised that, by clever means, Sirius had avoided the question.

"What are you doing out here?"

Sirius clicked his fingers.

'Drat. Thought I had you distracted."

He ran a hand through his hair.

"James does that." Lily thought before mentally slapping herself.

"Very well, Miss Evans." Sirius said, "I was here to watch the show. Happy?"

Lily most certainly wasn't.

"You told Snape this?" she snarled.

Sirius clapped his hands slowly.

"Very clever, Miss Evans, although, we always knew there was some genius behind that pretty face of yours."

Lily was stunned.

"What?" she spluttered, "Why?"

Sirius sighed and threw his hands up in the air.

"Because Snape has been a thorn in everyone's side all the time we have been here. Because he wouldn't have been in a condition to tell anyone about Remus unless they liked to talk to werewolf poo. Because I thought it would be an adequate revenge on him."

Sirius sighed.

"I hate him. He caused James and I to fight. And he hates you."

Sirius's eyes went bright, like a puppy's.

"You understand, right? Snape hurts you so much. Don't you think he should be destroyed?"

Lily sighed.

"Snape hurts me, but no one deserves death. At least, not before their time."

Sirius grunted.

"I suppose. We had better get back up to the castle…"

His words were cut short by growling. Sirius cursed.

"Look who finally sniffed us out."

Lily spun around in horror to see the werewolf with his nose to the ground. He looked up and howled. Sirius cursed a blue streak, some of the words even shocking Lily.

Sirius caught her expression.

"I could switch to Italian if you like..."

Lily shook her head.

"I think we should run."

Sirius's face lit up.

"No, look."

Lily stared where he was pointing. James stood, proud in the pale light. He threw a rock that hit the werewolf square on the back of the skull. The werewolf howled and faced him.

Sirius sighed.

"James would kill me if you saw this."

He clapped his hands over Lily's eyes. The sounds were terrible, growling, tearing, hooves clopping.

Then the darkness of Sirius's hands was gone. Lily cleared her vision just in time to see the stag from before trot off, looking tired but still magnificent.

"It saved him too!" Lily exclaimed, "The stag saved him too!"

Sirius laughed.

"As I said before, _James _could have done nothing."

Lily sighed in frustration. She hated it when people spoke in riddles.

Sirius bowed mockingly.

"Cometh thee, my lady, and I shalt be thy one to escort thy to thou castle."

Lily growled and began to walk up to the castle.

"I will never take that from the likes of you, Sirius Black."

Sirius grinned and called after her back.

"But maybe from my lord Prongs…"

Lily stopped dead in her tracks. It's couldn't possibly be that…

"No." she muttered.

She kept walking until she reached the steps. There, shivering stood James Potter, his back to her. He was clutching his side as if in pain…

"No." Lily thought and took the cloak off.

She draped it around his shoulders. James grinned.

"Ta, Padfoot."

Lily allowed herself a grin. There was something mildly ironic about him thinking she was Sirius.

"No problem." She said.

James spun around, mouth open as he stuffed something silvery inside his cloak.

"Lily." He gasped and bent sideways, "What are you doing out here?"

Looking for you." Lily replied, "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Merlin, Evans, can't a guy rest?' Sirius Said from behind her, "Prongsy, my dear, you get your hide inside or I'll bite it."

Lily shook her head before realisation nudged her again.

"No." she thought, shaking her head, "No, nup, nah, no way, no."

Lily left the two boys and went back to the Gryffindor tower.

"No." she thought with every step up to her dorm.

As she brushed her hair and washed her hands, thoughts came to her that made her doubt her mind's true sanity.

"No?' she thought as she brushed her teeth."

Lily flopped down on her bed, hearing as Tamara let out a startled snore.

Lily rolled over and went to sleep. One last word tickled her cerebellum before sleep overtook her.

"No."


	13. Explanations

The early morning sun woke up Lily. She yawned and scratched her head, trying to recall her dream.

It had been a bizarre dream. Something about Animagi and James Potter…

Her present reoccurring thought bit her again.

"No." she muttered as she spread the curtains of her four-poster wide.

"No what?" Tamara asked, jumping out of bed. The other two Gryffindor girls were still asleep, as Tamara and Lily were the only early risers.

Lily sighed.

"Nothing." She yawned.

Tamara took a closer look at her eyes.

"Merlin, Lils." She whistled, "You have some serious suitcases you need to unpack."

It took Lily a little while to figure out that Tamara was talking about the ones under her eyes.

"What kept you up?" Tamara asked, cheekily, "a little frisking with a certain prongsie marauder, perhaps?"

Lily threw a pillow at Tamara. A thud told her that the pillow had hit its mark.

"Ouch, Lily." Tamara groaned once she had removed the pillow from her mouth, "You really should try out for Chaser."

"And spend more time with James Potter, the Pot-head? No thank you, missy."

Tamara chortled.

"I don't know about that. Sirius would be a welcome ass-et, if you get my drift…"

Lily shook her head.

"Bad thoughts, Tamara, bad thoughts…"

Tamara sniggered.

"We have class soon, Lils. You need a shower."

"Gee, thanks." Lily rolled her eyes and headed towards the shower. Once she was inside, she returned to her thoughts.

She needed some answers… and soon.

* * *

James Potter grumbled as he got his robes on. 

"Damned werewolf with the damned claws and the damned smelling damn, damn, damn…"

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about me, would you Prongs?" Remus said in a mild tone.

James turned around, doing up his tie. He frowned as he looked at the brand new scratches on Remus's cheeks.

"Poor bloke." He thought, filled with pity for his friend. This pity was, however short lived, when Sirius bounded in.

"Hey!" he called, before looking at James's face.

His own visage fell.

"What?"

"Padfoot, my pup." James began. "I hope you are well aware of the damage you have caused."

Sirius snorted.

"The past is the past, my deer."

"And hindsight is 20/20." Remus added, "Are you trying to tell me that you have no regrets for almost causing the loss of a life?"

"Yep." Sirius replied without hesitation.

The look of pure shock on Remus's and James's faces said it all. Sirius laughed.

"You idiots! Course I am sorry! What kind of a person would I be if I wasn't?"

Sirius pinched both of them on the cheeks.

"And now, my old wolf and my young buck, time for breakfast."

Sirius exited, in much the same way as he had entered, except that a trunk had gotten in his way. His curses filled the common room.

Remus shook his head slightly, a grin on his face.

"I suppose it is my duty as a prefect to go and calm him down." He said to James, "Or at least to put a silenco charm on. See you at breakfast, James."

He saluted and walked down the stairs, his limp making his steps uneven.

James laughed and followed his friends, unaware that a certain red head was waiting at the table… and she wanted a lot of answers…

* * *

Lily waited in the entrance hall. She watched as Sirius walked past her. Usually, he would have said something about the fact it looked like she was waiting for someone. He only winked and continued on his merry way. 

Remus followed him, slowly, as his usually long stride was shortened by a limp. He merely nodded at her, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

"Hell knows why he is guilty." Lily thought, "I mean, he obviously lost control."

Finally, the man of the moment walked into the entrance hall. He grinned at Lily before striding over like he owned the world.

The moment was spoiled when a fourth-year Ravenclaw ran into his side. He staggered and clutched at his ribs, blinking back tears of pain.

Lily suddenly forget herself and run up to him.

"Are you ok?" she asked, concerned.

James muttered something about it being 'only a scratch'.

Lily's mind caught up with her.

"Don't you mean five?" she shot back.

James gulped.

"Um… Evans, what do you mean?"

Lily grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him towards a corridor.

"You owe me an explanation, Potter." She snarled.

"Or five…" she added in her mind.

* * *

Lily had no time for pity. She roughly pushed James up against the wall and stood back, hands on her hips. 

"What in the name of Merlin is going on here?" She demanded, green eyes flashing.

James gulped.

"You look gorgeous when you are angry." He thought.

It was Lily's expression that told him he had said it out loud.

"Oh, eerm..."

Lily stamped her foot, ignoring the flutters her heart made. She didn't know why, but she always reacted like that when James Potter complimented her.

"Potter, do not try to distract me!" she said through gritted teeth.

James flashed her a cheesy smile.

"Why ever not?" he retorted, cheekily.

Lily tugged at her hair.

"Urgh! I don't want any excuse, any lies, or any half truths! I put my life on the line last night and I want an explanation as to why!"

James sighed and ruffled his hair.

"You really want to know?" he asked slowly.

Lily exhaled.

"Well, duh!"

James grinned as a sudden thought struck him.

"Kiss me and I will tell you."

Lily spluttered and went bright red.

"What?' she gulped.

James just grinned sunnily.

"You said that you really wanted to know? Well, prove it, Evans. Kiss me."

Lily shuddered and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

James tutted.

"Nuh, uh, uh. On the lips."

Lily scowled, her face losing its new red shade.

"No."

James sighed, sarcastically.

"No information for you then, Evans. Sorry to be a waste of time."

Lily lost it.

"Potter!"

She grabbed his injured ribs. James yelped in pain.

"What is the meaning of this?" she snarled, digging her nails in.

"Ouch! Merlin, Lily! That's painful."

Lily smiled sweetly. She hated having to be a bitch but if the time called for it…

"Can you tell me why this is painful?" she asked, innocently, adding pressure to her grip.

James gasped again.

"It's not important..."

"It is to me." Lily interrupted.

James held back tears of pain.

"Come on, Evans! Leave me be."

Lily just shook her head, although she let her grip ease a bit.

After a bit of time, James sighed.

"Alright, alright. I'll tell you… but you'd better be able to keep a secret…"

* * *

Lily shook her head at James. 

"You did WHAT!" she cried.

"Merlin, I would think that people in Siberia didn't hear you." James muttered.

Lily rubbed her eyes.

"Let me get this straight. You, Sirius and Peter have become animals, just to hang around on full moon with a known werewolf? Please, _Prongs_, tell me why I shouldn't report you right now…"

James put a finger to her lips delicately and raised an eyebrow.

"Because it would ruin us." He replied, quietly, "and it's not like Moony doesn't need to company."

"My ears are burning." Said a slightly sardonic voice from behind Lily.

Lily sighed and spun around to see Sirius and Remus standing behind her. Sirius rubbed his temples.

"Please Prongs," He sighed, "don't tell me she knows everything now…"

James sighed.

"You try not telling her when her fingers are stuck into the wounds in your side."

Sirius opened his mouth with a wicked grin, but Remus cut across him.

"That's enough, Padfoot. I'm sure that Lily's virgin ears don't need to her your dirty comments."

"Not to mention your own." Sirius shot back, "Come on, Moony. Let's leave these two to their lovers spat."

Once Sirius and Remus were out of ear shot, Remus whispered to Sirius.

"We must get them together."

Sirius assumed a mock planning expression.

"Yes." He said, rubbing his chin, "But how?"

Remus laughed.

"How about a nice, romantic candlelit dinner in the Astronomy tower?"

Sirius's eyes caught sight of a broom closet.

"Just the thing I need." He thought.

"Nope." He said to Remus as he drew his wand.

Sirius used one spell to open the broom cupboard door. Then he laughed and cast a spell at the couple.

Before the very surprised Lily and James knew it, they were flying towards the cupboard. The door shut behind them with a satisfyingly smug 'click'.

Sirius looked at Remus, who had an expression of upmost distaste on his face.

"You really don't have a romantic bone in your body, do you Padfoot?"

Immediately, Sirius's ears pricked up.

"Bone? Bone? Where? Have you got a bone for me? Bone! I want that damned bone!"


	14. Closeted Together

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James looked over to Lily in the dim light, trying hard to stifle a grin. Her glare let him manage: barely

"Potter." She hissed, arms crossed across her chest. He couldn't help it; he grinned down at her.

"Yes, Evans?" he asked.

"Get us out of here!" she snapped. James hesitated, and Lily raised an irate, slightly threatening fist. "NOW!" Unfortunately, next to James' tall, muscular body, her small fist looked slightly comical,

James lifted an eyebrow, "Why would I want to do that?" he asked

Lily huffed, and tried to stand up, angrily slamming into the side of the cupboard, "Ouch!" she yelped as the cupboard slowly tiled sideways. Lily, caught off-balance, threw her weight into the side, helping the cupboard on its travel to the floor – with James on top of her.

He grinned down at her, "Nice move, Evans," he said, "Couldn't have done it better myself."  
Lily glared at him, "Please get off me!" She exclaimed, blushing furiously.

"And where would you like me to go? As you may be able to see, there is not a lot of room for movement in this cupboard." James retorted back.

"Potter!" she snapped, disconcerted by the feeling of his weight over her.

James grinned again, lifting an eyebrow, "That's my name, what do you want?"

Lily sighed, "At least right the cupboard up."

James chuckled softly, "Again, why would I want to do that?"

"Look, right it up or I'll scream at you."

"And hurt my precious ears?" James asked mockingly, grinning down at her as Lily glared, "Fine." He huffed. With one heave of his strong body against the other side of the cupboard, they were both upright again. With one difference: by moving the cupboard like that, Lily was shoved against James.

"Hello again, Evans," he said, "I thought you wanted me to get off you? Well, I did, but now you're on _me._"

Lily blushed again, "It's hot in here," she muttered.

"Only 'cause you're here." James replied with a smirk.

Lily's blush grew suddenly worse. She glared up at him, inwardly cursing at how tall he was, and _why_ did he have to smile down at her like that? She broke eye contact with him, looking at her suddenly _very _interesting shoes.

"How are we going to…"

James slid a cool finger under her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his, "Do you really want to, Lily Flower?"

Lily gulped, her face suddenly matching her hair, making her do a very good impression of a stop sign.

James leaned downwards towards Lily's very red face. Lily, not knowing what she was doing, leaned up towards him. Both leaned in closer to each other, getting increasingly closer with every inch.

"Umm… Potter?" Lily stammered, "I just had a rather disturbing thought…"

At this close range, all Lily could see of James was his eyes and teeth. Both sparkled with mirth.

"Yes, Lily, and what would this disturbing thought be?"

Lily gulped as James's breath tickled her nose.

"Holy Merlin…" Lily thought, as their lips passed beyond the three inches barrier, "I cannot believe that I actually want to kiss James P…"

Suddenly, the cupboard door swung open, to reveal one certain Remus Lupin, who was looking rather pleased with himself. He raised an eyebrow as Lily and James sprung apart.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

Lily gulped.

"No." she said just as James said "Yes."

They both glared at each other, as Remus chuckled.

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that Sirius said sorry and that I am here to rescue you."

"Yeah, Moony," James mumbled, "you are ever the gallant rescuer…"

Lily elbowed James in the ribs.

"Thank you, Remus." Lily said, taking on her prefect tone, "Your help is much appreciated."

James huffed as Remus laughed.

"Well, I could always leave…"

Lily shook her head vehemently, and elbowed her way past him back into the light of the hall.

James followed, with mixed emotions on his face. Anger, for Remus walking in on them, and Pride, for almost kissing Lily Evans.

"So." James commented, "You got Padfoot to apologise."

Remus nodded and stretched.

"I just got him to see things from my point of view."

James grinned.

"What curse did you use on him?"

Remus grinned back.

"Oh, you'll find out."

* * *

Sirius yelped as he ran through the hallway. Many girls looked at him as he passed.

It was remarkable that, even when being chased by bats, Sirius Black could look amazingly attractive.

He ran past Remus and James, the bats swooping in and plucking the hairs at the back of his neck.

Remus noticed Sirius's female fans.

"Isn't it incredible how, even cursed by a flock of Hair-Eating Bats, Padfoot manages to keep his fans happy?"

Sirius stopped in front of the two boys and flapped his hands behind his head, wincing as the bats pull out a particularly stubborn hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated as the bats worked themselves up into a hair eating frenzy.

He ran off, yelping as the bat's changed their attention to his arm hairs.

"Did you curse him to say only those words?" James asked Remus.

Remus shook his head, grinning proudly.

"No, that is all his own device."

James laughed. A fourth year Hufflepuff girl sighed and clasped her hands.

"His hair was all ruffled…" she sighed, happily.

James and Remus exchanged one look, before promptly bursting into laughter.


	15. The Astronomy Tower

Chapter 15 - The Astronomy Tower

Lily wandered up to her common room, in a pensive mood. She opened the portrait on a chuckling Tamara who was sitting in an armchair in front of the fire. Lily frowned slightly at her friend, who looked up and grinned, unabashed.

"Lily!" she greeted joyfully, "You heard?"

Lily froze, her mind flicking back to the closet, the recent memory of James' breath tickling her face. A guilty expression must have forced its way onto her features because Tamara cackled. "You have! Oh that was funny. Did you actually see him?"

Lily frowned again, this time in puzzlement, "_What?_"

Tamara grinned happily, "Sirius, of course! He was running around, with bats chasing him. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned bald! But I'm sure a curse of Remus Lupin's wouldn't do that to a friend." Tamara paused and looked slyly at Lily, "I was just wondering what had caused such a reaction."

Lily placed a carefully blank expression over her features, and Tamara laughed again, "Oh, so it _was _something to do with you!" she exclaimed delightedly.

At this, Lily pounced forwards and smothered her very loud friend's mouth with her hand, "Not here," she whispered harshly.

Tamara, eyes sparkling with mischief and mirth, followed Lily up the stairs to their dormitory.

"You didn't!" Tamara's voice was heard down in the roaring flames of the fireplace.

A quiet murmur from Lily followed. Tamara leant in to hear it.

"No, I didn't but…" Lily trailed off.

Tamara raised an eyebrow, her voice returning to a natural level, "May I ask _why_ you didn't?"

Lily smiled archly, "You can ask, I just may not answer."

Tamara huffed, and went to stand up. Lily relented slightly, "_Ok, ok_. It was because Remus opened the door."

"And you didn't just shut it in his face?" Tamara wanted to know, "Hell knows, _I _would've!"

"I know you would've." Lily muttered sourly, "But it would have been rude."

"Not to mention it would have ruined your moment, hey, Lily?" Tamara winked.

"I did _not_ have a _moment_ with James Potter!" Lily flared, her fists bunching at her sides.

"Yeah, sure. If that's what _you_ think, Lily." Tamara winked again, "But by what you've told me…?" Tamara grinned at her friend, turned and walked down the steps to the Common room again, the pillow that was thrown after her missing by a mere fraction of an inch.

Remus grinned as Sirius made another round of the Hall, still yelling, and then his gaze turned pensive. Remus' thoughts all came together at once.

_While it might take some persuading, this just might work _Remus thought, smiling to himself as Sirius stopped in front of him, finally managing to rid himself of the hair eating bats.Remus looked at Sirius as he ran his hands through his hair, cleared his throat and grinned at the passing 3rd years who were smiling and whispering among each other.

Remus shook his head and turned his thoughts back to the plan that was more and more clearly forming in his head. He glanced back at Sirius again and sighed. Even thought it was hard to admit it, he needed Sirius's help.

Remus frowned at Sirius's roguish grin, which only broadened, "What are you so happy about?" he demanded.

Sirius chuckled, "Oh, it's not for me, my wolfish friend. You have a look in you eyes. That means someone is in for a well-planned prank."

"You know me too well." Remus grumbled.

Sirius only grinned again, "So… who's the lucky guy?" he asked and winked, then ducked hurriedly to avoid being cuffed over the head by an irate werewolf. "Or girl." He added quickly, "Snape?" he asked hopefully.

Remus glared, "No." he said shortly, "It is not going to be a particular prank on any enemy of _yours_."

Sirius frowned, puzzled, "You have an enemy?"

This time Remus actually did cuff him over the head, "No, you dolt. James."

"_What_!" Sirius yelped, "What has James done?" he paused, and then added, "Apart from being a bloody lovesick puppy for the past few years."

Remus sighed long sufferingly, "Well, that's technically the point."

Sirius took a step back, "Moony, I do not get you."

"You seldom do."

Sirius tilted his head; "Could you say that in Spanish?" he wanted to know.

"What?" Remus shrieked, "You wouldn't know what it means in Spanish! You don't understand Spanish!"

Sirius looked exasperated, "Yeah, but I don't understand it _now_ either. At least if it's in Spanish, I _know_ I _shouldn't_ understand it!"

Remus stared at Sirius stonily, "You don't understand anything I say."

Sirius's face was crestfallen, "I do too." He pined.

Remus rolled his eyes, "Oh, Merlin save me from your 'puppy' eyes and lack of education." He paused, "Emphasis on the _lack_."

Sirius tilted his head the other way, "Em-fah-ses?"

Remus gritted his teeth, "See? That, right there!"

"What? Where? I can't see it!" Sirius twisted around, looking for what had caught his friend's attention.

Remus sighed impatiently at Sirius, who was still turning around, doing a wonderful impression of a puppy chasing his tail.

Sirius looked back at his friend, trying to understand, then enlightenment struck, "Oh," he said quietly, "I think I'm gonna go now."

"Oh no you don't." Remus's hand grabbed the end of Sirius's sleave as he started to stride away, "Stupid as you may be, I still need your help. Tell James to meet us at the Astronomy at midnight tonight."

Sirius's forehead creased, "Moony, I really do not get this prank. Why are we pulling it on our best friend?"

Remus whacked a hand to his forehead making a nice smacking sound "You never get me."

"Well, you're not making much sense." Sirius pointed out reasonably.

"Look, all you need to do is be a messenger. I'll sort out the rest."

"Is it going to hurt him?"

"Not unless Lily bites his head off."

Understanding bloomed in Sirius eyes. He grinned at Remus and trotted off to find James, whistling. Remus watched him go, and then turned in the other direction to find Lily.

* * *

"Lily." Remus's voice drifted smoothly up the stairwell, carried on a speaking spell, "Can you come down to the Common Room please?"

Lily raised an eyebrow, but got up from her bed, where she had been staring at the ceiling. She walked slowly down the stairs to where Remus was standing, next to the fireplace in the common room.

"There's a prefect meeting on, tonight in the Astronomy tower."

"What time?"

"Midnight." Remus said, his face carefully blank.

Lily frowned, "What? McGonagall _never_ sets it that late."

"Perhaps she was feeling frisky?"

She snorted, "Frisky? McGonagall? Are we talking about the same teacher?" Lily paused, then, as if explaining it to a first year, "McGonagall is the one who frowns when she says 'let her hair down'. This is _McGonagall_ and _midnight_ in the same sentence? I don't think so!"

Remus shrugged, "_I_ don't make the times."

Lily looked at him sceptically, "And why the Astronomy Tower? Why not the Transfiguration classroom like last time?"

Remus, to Lily's astonishment, blushed slightly, "I don't know. Perhaps she wants us to check a new constellation?"

Lily looked at him, "A new constellation?"

"Yeah!"

"A _new constellation?_"

For the first time Lily had met him, Remus looked flustered, "Perhaps there's a prophecy? These things are seen in the stars. Perhaps it's a change in the future? _I don't know!_"

Lily held up her hands in defeat, "Okay, okay." She said, turned and stalked back up the stairs, muttering.

Listening with the ears only a werewolf has, Remus heard the words, "Merlin, _midnight! _What is she thinking?"

* * *

"Oy!" Sirius called as he climbed through the portrait hole, startling James out of his reminiscences.

James blinked at Sirius's laughing eyes, "What?" he took stock of Sirius's mischievous grin, "Whose in for it tonight?"

Sirius blinked, "No one, of course."

James raised an eyebrow, "Why do I not believe you?"

"Because you have enough sense not to." Sirius grinned, "Okay, Prongs, you sprung me. Meeting: you, me, Remus and Peter. Midnight tonight. Astronomy tower." He grinned again to himself as he bounced away.

"Deal!" James yelled after Sirius's retreating back. He grinned, a new prank!

Sirius turned towards the kitchens after he clambered out of the portrait hole again; he needed to have a chat with the house elves. And if he just happened to get food while he was down there, so much the better!


	16. Venison?

Lily huffed as she counted the two thousand and thirty fourth step. She was now on the last set of steps leading up to the Astronomy Tower. The Stargazer's Tower. _The bloody tallest tower too, _she thought grumpily, _what is McGonagall thinking? _Then another thought occurred to her; perhaps Remus wanted to talk? It would explain the lateness of the hour, and perhaps the place, but why the secrecy?

She frowned as she turned the last step. She frowned again, and stepped through the door. As soon as she was through, she froze.

There was a mahogany table in the middle of the room, crystal plates for two with a matching crystal vase separating them. She gaped at the deep red rose and candles that illuminated the setting. This was the work of Remus Lupin, no doubt about it. She remembered his blush, how flustered he had been. The way he had been watching her all day, as if planning something. Remus had a crush on her? Well, she had to tell him straight off that she didn't feel that way; he was great as a friend, but as anymore than that; she couldn't even contemplate it. He was her friend!

The door, which Lily had half closed behind her, swung open to reveal Remus, and Lily started forwards, "Remus." She began, but he stepped sideways, out of her way, to reveal James Potter, and behind _him_, Sirius Black.

Sirius grinned as he shoved a very surprised looking James forwards, "Enjoy!" he called out joyously, and started to close the door, Remus darting through the closing exit as it slammed behind him.

Several things clicked in Lily's mind, and she groaned, "Potter!" she yelled. He turned his baffled face towards hers.

"I didn't know, honest Evans." He said quickly.

Lily glared, "Then how did they get you to come up here? Some sort of prank?"

James blushed, "Well, actually, yes."

Lily grumbled and smacked a hand to her forehead, "Lily Evans," she said to herself, "Did you know that the word Gullible is not in the Oxford Dictionary"

Lily heard Remus Lupin's chuckle through the door, as Sirius' voice rang out with a "What's the Oxford Dictionary?"

And James frowned, saying, "What's _Gullible!"_

Lily hit herself on the forehead again, then shook her head sadly, "I don't know how you two get your grades." She said, addressing the comment to Sirius and James. James grinned sheepishly, and looked at the door.

"You guys gonna let us out now?" he asked hopefully.

"Nope! You're not getting out of there till morning!"

Lily raised an eyebrow, "Sirius Black. It _is_ morning. Hence the fact that it is past _midnight_."

"Yeah," said James, "So let us out."

"Absolutely not," Came Remus's voice, "You are not coming out of that room until dawn."

"Ahhh…" Came Sirius's voice again, "You can watch the dawn together. How romantic."

Lily glared daggers at the door; the closest she could get to critically maiming Sirius. James grinned, and flumped into one of the two elegant chairs facing each other across the table. Lily winced to see a beautiful piece of furniture being treated that way, "Potter!" she snapped, "Do you know how expensive that chair would be? It's probably an heirloom!"

James blinked at her.

"An antique."

He continued to stare at her, his expression blank.

"_Old!_"

On the other side of the door, Sirius turned to Remus; "See?" he asked, "I'm not the only one who's dumb! You're just extra smart, Moony."

Remus rolled his eyes, and a rare expression of mischievous glee crossed his face as he listened to Lily.

"Are you two going to be there all night?" she asked, "Couldn't you go away?"

"Only if you want us to!" Sirius winked, and Remus raised an eyebrow.

"James can't see you, Sirius." He pointed out.

On the other side of the door, James grinned, "Quit winking, Sirius!"

Sirius turned to Remus and grinned triumphantly, "See? He doesn't _need_ to see me."

"Go away!" Lily shouted through the door.

"And leave you to escape?" Remus asked sensibly, "No, I don't think so."

James looked at the door, "You locked it, didn't you?"

"I did," Remus replied, "But, unless I'm very much mistaken, you have in that room with you, the foremost witch in Charms."

James's voice became rather dreamy, "Yes, I know. She's beautiful."

Silence crept over the four for several seconds.

Eventually, James said, "You meant the class, didn't you." It wasn't a question, but he addressed it to Remus.

"Yes, James. I did." The strained expression of Remus's voice conveyed without needing words how much he was trying not to laugh.

"Hey, James." Cut in Sirius, "Instead of leaving, how about we put a silencing charm on the door?"

Lily looked at them doubtfully. James turned to her, "If we don't say 'yes', they'll just listen to everything we say."

"I have nothing to hide!" Lily flared, flicking her hair over shoulder.

"No?" James asked, stepping closer and looking down at her.

Lily swallowed, "No?" she hazarded. 

James stepped closer still, "I think we'll let them put a silencing charm on the door." He whispered.

Lily nodded, watching him with wide eyes, "Okay." She whispered, mesmerized.

James nodded and straightened, "Okay, Moony. Silencing Charm, if you please."

"Nooooo!" Sirius yelled. He turned to Moony, "No! Don't silence them! I want to liste—" his voice was cut off as the silencing charm worked its magic.

James turned back to Lily. He looked as if he was about to say something, but changed his mind, turning to sit at the table.

He folded his arms, leaning against the chair and watched her with dark eyes. The candlelight played along his features, reflecting off his skin. Lily swallowed, the memory of being in the closet with him recent in her mind.

She squared her shoulders, refusing to appear discomforted by his intense gaze. She walked to the table, sitting down primly, then made the mistake of looking at James.

He was still watching her, his hazel eyes unfathomable in the dim light thrown by the candles.

"Well," Lily began, trying to cast away her mind, searching for _any_ topic of conversation that was moderately safe, "The Quidditch this year was interesting."

James dropped his almost pensive look, "Hell yeah!" he agreed, and Lily breathed a sigh of relief: she wasn't sure how long she could have stood that unwavering gaze.

"I thought we nearly wouldn't win this year, what Ravenclaw's team. But Good old Gideon Prewitt kept us together and pulled us through." James grinned at her, and Lily felt her heart skip a beat.

"He's leaving at the end of this year, and he wanted me to be Quidditch Captain." James said proudly, "Perhaps he'll put in a good word for me to McGonagall."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Men and Quidditch." She said.

"Hey," James complained, "You brought it up!" his stomach rumbled and he looked at it in surprise, "I'm hungry." He stated.

Lily raised an eyebrow, "And you're not… when?" asked.

James looked at her with hurt in his eyes, "Lily, how could you think that of me? Just because I need sustenance to keep myself going through the day, doesn't mean I eat all the time."

Lily's mouth twitched, "No," she said, "Not all the time, just most of it."

James grinned at her again. Then he looked down at his plate as a menu appeared on top of it. He looked up at Lily, "Dinner?" he asked.

"Don't you mean breakfast?" she commented, picking up her own menu, and scanning the selection. Then she looked up and watched as the colour slowly drained from James's face. It appeared they had both spotted the venison. "How about the roast chicken?" she asked as an alternative.

"Yep," James said in a strangled voice.

The fore mentioned roast appeared on the plates before them, and the two stopped talking for a while to eat.

"So…" James began, "How many siblings do you have?"

"Well," Lily swallowed her piece of chicken, "There's Petunia…"

* * *

For the next few hours, the conversation continued in a similar vein. There was a lull in the speaking, and Lily stood from her chair. Looking out from the tower, she breathed in the clear night air, "The stars are beautiful tonight."

"Yes, they are indeed." James's voice rumbled in agreement, "And so are you."

Lily blushed, and looked down, not sure how to respond to such a compliment. She had gotten to know James much better over this night, and had had to rethink her opinion of him many times.

"Don't you start flattering me again. I know it's just because…" Lily blushed, "Because…"

James stood as well, standing next to her in the light of the half moon, "Because why, Lily?" he asked, "Because it makes you feel uncomfortable? Because it's true?"

Lily swallowed, looking anywhere but him, she was afraid of what she would think if she met his gaze. Afraid of what she would do.

"Umm…" she hazarded, "Professor Flitwick said that the Charms exam is soon."

James chuckled and stepped closer, "All the exams are soon, Lily."

Lily blushed as she realised how transparent her change of subject was. She looked up at James. He was so close she could feel the heat of his body. She closed her eyes for several seconds, trying to get a grip on her racing pulse. She felt James's fingers beneath her chin, and she opened her eyes to his hazel ones, _Oh my._ She thought as she leaned upwards.


	17. Liquorice Wand

A/N: Sorry guys, you'll want to kill us... well me, but they're not allowed until the seventh year! just think, a few more chapters... Stick with us?

* * *

"Two days! Two days and _all_ the exams are over!" Sirius bounded happily around the common room fireplace.

"Actually, Padfoot, they are the End of Year tests. We still have next years NEWTS to do."

Sirius stopped, looking crestfallen, "What?" then he straighten up, "I knew that!" he straightened his tie, business like, "Thank you for reminding me, Moony."

Remus lifted an eyebrow, "Sure, Padfoot."

Sirius grinned, then paused, "I wonder how Lily and James are doing?"

Remus looked out at the dawn, "Well, it's time." He said, and started to walk up the few thousand steps to the top of the Astronomy tower again.

"I wonder if she _did_ bite his head off."

"Padfoot, that's disgusting."

Sirius looked offended, "I was not being disgusting in _any_ way, Moony old pal. _You _just thought that my mind would take that course. Therefore, it is your fault." Sirius said, snapping his fingers at him.

Remus turned and rolled his eyes at Sirius, then turned back to see Lily and James walking down the steps to meet them. He stopped. Sirius grinned.

Lily raised an eyebrow and kept walking past them, leaving James to the suggestive comments of Sirius, and the shrewd guesses of Remus.

James forestalled them both, "Where's Wormtail?" he asked abruptly.

Sirius shrugged, "Probably down in the kitchens, I know I would be."

James rolled his eyes at his friend, "I know, Padfoot. You're always hungry."

Sirius winked. "Hey, how was the _menu_ last night?"

James cast a stony look at Sirius, "It was brilliant." He said sourly, "I'm sure."

Sirius grinned, "I asked the house elves to do it personally."

"No. Really?" James asked sarcastically. "I particularly liked the _Venison_ you put as a suggestion."

Sirius grinned, unabashed, "Yeah, thought you might." Looking at James's face, his grin broadened, "Look, mate. They wouldn't have cooked venison for you. I made sure of it."

James looked over at his roguish friend, a grin lightening his face, "Thanks, Padfoot."

* * *

Lily kept walking, her mind whirling with memories, and thoughts. She remembered James face, peering into her own. _Why had she pushed him away?_ She put her face in her hands, stopping still for a moment. He had leaned forwards, and she had leaned towards him. _Why?_ It could have been so simple. Just to kiss him; to let herself go for a few minutes. And who knows? It could have turned out fine, but no. She had to stop herself: to push him away. She huffed, and started to stride forwards again. 

"Miss Evans." It was a voice calling from behind her.

She whirled, glaring at the hapless unfortunate, Professor McGonagall. She blanched, rearranging her features into something that might resemble a respectful expression, "Yes, Professor?"

"Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you in his office."

Lily, surprised, nodded silently to show her understanding.

McGonagall smile slightly, "The password's Liquorice Wand."

Lily nodded again, and walked slowly towards Dumbledore's office. _What could he possible want?_ She hadn't done anything to warrant his attention, had she? Her mind flickered guiltily back to the memory of the cupboard, back to last night. She blushed again, looking at the worn stone of the corridor.

Lily stopped to inspect another corridor. She had to watch where she was going; she hadn't been to the Headmaster's office often enough to know innately where it was. Then she saw the stone Gargoyle. She stopped in front of it and glared. "Liquorice Wand," she snapped. It came alive and sprang aside. Feeling slightly better, she walked inside.

Dumbledore was waiting for her, his eyes twinkling, "Miss Evans, please sit down." He said, gesturing to one of the chairs. She complied, looking at him expectantly. He chuckled, "Very intelligent, Miss Evans. Most students when they are called to my office, start to protest that they are innocent of anything they have done, which tells me that they _have_ actually done something. Now _you_, my dear, are silent. I commend you on that." He broke off, smiling at her, "No doubt, Miss Evans, you are wondering why you _have_ been called here."

Lily nodded, then realised that she wasn't playing a huge role in the conversation, "Yes sir." She said.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again, "Well, Miss Evans, the selections for next year's Head Students have been put forward, and your name stands among those on the list. This shall be finalised over the summer, with your duties (Should you be granted this responsibility) written out for you."

Lily nodded again, then a thought struck her, "Professor," she began, "Why are the other candidates not up here?"

Dumbledore smiled at her, "I wouldn't give the game away like that. It would take some of your rare student amusement out of the challenge. Although I doubt it would take away from any money placed on it."

Lily blushed on the behalf of her fellow students and mumbled something like an apology for not doing her job. Dumbledore chuckled again, "Not at all, Miss Evans. I don't think any punishment or the tightest surveillance in the world would make those students stop gambling. However, we would like to ask your opinion on the choice of the Head Boy."

Lily thought for a moment, "I thought, perhaps, Remus Lupin?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely, "He is on the list. Good choice, Miss Evans. Well considered."

Lily nodded, and rose from her seat, "Thank you, Professor." She said.

"You're welcome, Miss Evans, and Lily?" she turned to look back at him, "Good luck with James."

Lily blanched, "_What_!" she gasped.

Dumbledore turned to Fawkes, "Yes," he said mildly, "You seemed to be having rather a argumentative time with him."

"But professor, I always have argumentative times with James, I mean Potter, what's any different this time?"

"_Goodbye_ miss Evans."

Lily turned, face burning, and walked slowly down the stairs. She looked up in time to see the faint outline of James Potter striding down the hallway. Quickly, she ducked behind a suit of armour.

"Hey, Prongs!" that yell was Sirius's unmistakable one, "Where are you going?"

James turned around, "Dumbledore's office!" he shouted back.

Sirius laughed, "What have you been caught at this time?"

James shrugged, "I dunno, probably the dung bomb we left outside the Girl's Bathroom."

Sirius laughed again, "Good luck, Prongs!" he yelled, and turned towards the dining hall.

James looked at the statue, and swore softly under his breath. Lily got out of the shadows and walked past him, "The password's Liquorice Wand," she said, as causally as she could, as she past him.

James tossed a surprised glance at her, "Thanks," he said as the Gargoyle jumped aside.

* * *

A/N: See? now you know why I apologised and what I was talking about.  



	18. End of the Year

Sirius skipped past James, singing, "End of the year tests, end of the year tests!"

James looked up from his study sheet, "Sirius, you're the only one excited, have you noticed?"

"Yeah, but one left. _Just one! _And then they're _all_ over."

"Actually, Sirius, you still have the NEWTS next year."

Sirius glanced over his shoulder at James, looking worried.

James smirked, "_And _all your Auror training and stuff."

Sirius put his hands over his ears, and ran around in a circle, yelling; "Shut up! Don't tell me that!"

James grinned at him, "But, you're right, Padfoot. Only this last test for this year and then we have holidays. Nice, long holidays."

Sirius's face darkened, "Yeah, home again."

"Padfoot, you know you are always welcome at my house… it's fine with my folks." James assured him.

"Yeah but I don't want to intrude." Said Sirius, "I don't like doing it."

James rolled his eyes, "You know you're welcome; I think they like you more than me!"

"If that's even possible."

James grinned, "Perhaps it is. But they enjoy your company, Padfoot."

"I make them laugh."

"You make everyone laugh," Remus pointed out, climbing through the portrait hole, "It's your one good point."

Sirius grinned at him, "I have many." He said airily.

James sniggered.

"Oh, come on!" Sirius said, "I'm good-looking and-"

"And vain to boot." James interrupted, "Moony, you just made his ego a _whole_ lot worse."

"No worse than your own, Prongs." Remus said and Sirius grinned.

James looked crestfallen, "That's what Lily said." He said dejectedly.

Sirius's ears pricked up, "What happened that night anyway? You've been rather quiet about it."

James looked down, and opened his mouth. Then looked at Remus, "What's the time?"

Remus raised an eyebrow at him, but checked it, then blanched, "Late. We need to go." Sirius hesitated, about to ask James again, and Remus snapped, "Now!"

Sirius shot a concerned look at James as he past him. He was worried about his best friend; even if he was a love sick git. Then he shook his head and followed his friends out of the common room. They were halfway down the corridor when a puffing Peter caught up to them.  
"Since when do you run, Wormtail?." Sirius asked.

Peter glared at him, "Since this exam. How soon do we have? What exam is this?"

Sirius laughed, "Don't fret, Wormtail; it's the last exam for the year. And how could you forget? This is the Defence Against the Dark Arts exam. Easy. We _know_ everything."

Wormtail looked up at Sirius, "Yes," he mumbled, "Dark Arts."

They looked up as the professor supervising them opened the door and filed obediently through, sitting at the back.

James picked up his quill and looked up in time to see Lily. As she sat in her seat, a ray of sunlight shone through the window and illuminated her hair, making her skin glow. He sighed.

A bell rang and he shook his head: back to the test! He looked down, skimming through the questions; he had seven minutes reading time. One particularly drew his eye; _Short Answer 13_. _What is the incantation of the Capital Unforgivable Curse?_ He looked up, pondering this. Another bell rang, and he put his quill to the parchment, the scratching sound of the other student's quills in his ears.

* * *

Chatter filled the hallway. James breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Sirius who was (again) bouncing around singing, although the words had changed a little. Now they were more along the lines of; "No more exams! No more exams!" James grinned and added, "Except for the NEWTS and work tests!"

Sirius, still in the same sing-song voice yelled, "I know! I know! I'm choosing to ignore the small insignificant detail!"

People around them laughed; obviously as happy as Sirius to be out of the stress of exams for a whole year.

"Come on, my young buck!" Sirius bounced around to face James, "To dinner! Let's celebrate!"

James looked at Sirius warily, "You're not going to spike the Pumpkin Juice, are you?"

Sirius looked offended, "What, share what precious alcohol I own with this, rather ungrateful mob? Never!" he winked and bounded off. James laughed and followed, keeping a look out for Lily.

* * *

Remus waved them over to where his was sitting in the Great Hall, and they wandered over.

"How come you always finish first?" Sirius complained as they got within earshot.

"I don't finish first," Remus retorted, "I just know the answers better, so I work faster."

"And you say _I'm_ vain." Sirius remarked to James. James laughed and sat down next to Remus, beckoning to Sirius and Peter to join them.

"So," James began as he loaded his plate, "How soon 'til we go home?"

"Just two days now. First we have to wait until the Seventh Years finish their NEWTS, then we have the End of the Year Feast. After that all we have is the train ride, and then all we have to do is laze."

"Brilliant." Said James.

* * *

Two days passed, and they were at the end of the year feast. A sudden thought occurred to James and he turned to Remus, "We're going to catch up during the holidays, right?"

Remus snorted, "Try and keep him away." He said, jabbing a thumb at Sirius, who just grinned.

"Hey," he said, "Where else do I go? I don't want to go home with their 'pureblood' rules and all that codswallop."

Peter cast him a look of sympathy. Sirius continued, "Besides, I'm gonna see what I can do to-"

Dumbledore stood up, and all the hubbub died away, effectively stopping Sirius. "Well done!" he said, beaming at them, "Well done to all the years who have now completed their tests. I bet that you are all breathing a quiet sigh of relief," his gaze flicked over the Marauders, "Or perhaps not so quiet, in some cases.

I believe you are all very curious about the Head Boy and Girl selections." A sudden, very interested silence followed. Dumbledore beamed, "Unfortunately, as usual, I will not tell you this year. The candidates will be assessed and selected over the course of the holidays. Those chosen will receive a badge and instructions sent to them before the beginning of term. Thank you, and tuck in."

Noise gradually rose again, punctuated by silences as the students shovelled food into their mouths. James glanced around at his friends and smiled happily. His gaze drifted along the table to Lily, and his smile faltered. His face became pensive for a few minutes before he caught Sirius's eyes on him. Quickly, he pasted a smile onto his face. Sirius frowned, but remained silent. He stayed silent for the rest of the night.

* * *

Lily yawned and stretched leisurely. She looked over to her trunk; it was gone. She started, then remembered that it was the last day here before her seventh year began. She sighed and got dressed before making her way downstairs.

She turned the last spiral of the staircase up to the Girls dormitory and, quite literally, bumped into James Potter. He spun around and, once again, they were nose to chin. Both tried to move out of the other's way. It didn't work. They had both moved towards the east wall. They both moved the opposite way, then back towards the east. They both stopped, and Lily, blushing furiously, placed her hand on James's waist, to guide him the opposite way so she could go around him.

James felt as if a jolt of electricity had gone through his veins. He felt frozen to the spot. He blinked and opened his mouth to ask Lily something, but she was already gone.

* * *

Lily felt her cheeks. They were burning. So was the hand she had put on James's waist. Her step quickened even more, carrying her speedily to the Great Hall. She sat down with a _plonk_ on one of the seats.

A shadow appeared next to her. It paused, then sat beside her, "Go away, Potter." She snapped, her cheeks still red.

"I am not Potter, Evans." Came a cold voice. Lily looked up, startled, into a pair of icy grey eyes. Sirius Black's icy grey eyes. He glared at her, "And why did you want him to go away? _What happened at the Astronomy Tower?_"

"That, _Mister Black,_ is none of your business." She spat.

"It is when it concerns my best friend." Sirius's voice was under tight control; only the clipped delivery of the words betrayed how angry he was.

Lily's eyes narrowed, "What do you care, Black?"

"You're breaking his heart, Lily."

She scoffed, "James? He cares for nothing except Quidditch and pranks!"

Sirius's eyes were unreadable, "Do you really think that?" he asked. He seemed about to say something more, before he cut himself off. He stood and left, going back up to Gryffindor Tower, leaving Lily very confused.

She cradled her head in her hands, pondering what Sirius had said. Again she asked herself why had she pushed him away. Again, she couldn't find why; not completely in her heart. She sighed and sat up. She nibbled at her breakfast for a couple of minutes until she decided that she could not stomach any more and left, taking the horseless carriage to the train, and home.


	19. The Holidays: Part 1

**The Holidays, **

**Part One **

"Wake up!" The bed bounced underneath James as Sirius jumped on it. James groaned and rubbed his eyes, trying to roll where Sirius's feet wouldn't land on him.

"Come on! Up you get! The day is half over!"

Cold air rushed under the blankets (or at least where the blankets had been) as Sirius tore the covers off the bed. James groaned again and tried to recover the blankets. When that failed, he grabbed his emergency blanket at the end of the bed; used only when it was snowing. James decided it was close enough, being a only couple of seasons 'til winter.

"Come on!" Sirius had bounded around the edge of the bed to where James's face was. James opened bleary hazel eyes to Sirius's broad grin. He yelped and scrambled backwards off the edge of the bed. For a few precious seconds, James's arms flailed, trying to regain his balance. He failed. James fell the necessary feet to the floor, hitting it with a thump. In response to this, Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

James stood slowly; he glared at Sirius, grabbing his glasses from the side table, "What's all the fuss about?" he grumbled, massaging his sore butt.

"It's the holidays." Sirius said, spreading his hands out to his sides and trying to radiate innocence. He failed miserably.

"Yeah," James replied shortly, "Time to sleep in."

Sirius treated James to a roguish grin, "Not for you, my Buck!"

James looked at him stonily, "And, why, may I ask?"

"Because your darling mother asked me to wake you up… ten minutes ago!"

James set his jaw, "Remind me to kill her."

Sirius looked heartbroken, "But… but." He stuttered, then a sly look slid over his features, "But then she couldn't make any more chocolate chipped pancakes like she did for us this morning!"

James's eyes lit up; "Did she really?" he grinned, "Then all is forgiven!" they raced to the stairs, tumbling down them and into the kitchen.

"Morning Mrs Potter!" Sirius said cheerfully as they entered, the smell of cooking pancakes drawing them, drooling, to the table.

"Morning Sirius," she said fondly, ruffling his hair as she put the first pancake on his plate, "Morning honey." She said to James, walking back to the stove. She went to ruffle his hair, but saw that it was ruffled quite enough. She patted him on the head instead, "You look tired."

James directed a pointed glare at Sirius, "Yes." He said shortly.

"You should go to bed earlier, sweetheart."

"Or sleep later," James muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He said innocently, tucking into his pancake.

"thank you Mrs Potter." Sirius said as he finished. James's face took on a dreamy expression, "I could get used to that name."

Sirius shot him a disturbed look, "_James_ that's your _mother_!"

James equally disturbed, "I didn't mean it like _that_! He yelped.

Understanding bloomed across Sirius features, "She's never gonna marry you, mate."

"She might."

* * *

"I still feel awkward." James opened his mouth to protest, but Sirius waved it away, "Listen. I have the money. My lovely Uncle gave me this money. I'm not even paying rent here. I feel guilty about it. 

I should have a house of my own; pay my own rent, my own food. You know?"

"No, I don't." James said irritably, "You're fine! My folks _like_ having you over!"

Sirius smiled sadly, "I think I've almost overstayed my welcome. All I do is eat, quite a lot at that; sleep and talk to you."

James rolled his eyes and sighed gustily, "That's all I do anyway!"

"I know," A glimmer of mirth came into Sirius's face, "But you're their son."

"You're as good as family!"

Sirius looked away, his jaw set stubbornly, "Nevertheless, I'm going to buy a house. You can't stop me."

James laid a hand on his wand, where it was hidden under his jacket, "No?" he asked.

Sirius grinned, "No." he clapped a hand on James's shoulder, "Look, mate. I want to stop being a nuisance. I have the money, I'll buy a house as close to here as possible."

James sagged slightly, "You'll come over for dinners?"

Sirius's grin widened, "Free food? Try and keep me away!"

* * *

Two weeks into August, Sirius was sitting down to another brilliant roast from the Potter's. The next few months passed by relatively quickly. James and Sirius spent most of the afternoons playing Quidditch in the back yard. The afternoons that they weren't, Sirius was looking at the properties in the surrounding area. He ended up buying a small flat, and moving his meagre possessions into there. He did come round for dinner, though. Every Sunday, without fail for a 'Family' roast. He did say that Mrs Potter cooked the best chicken. She may cook the best chicken, but they hadn't started eating their dinner yet; James's Dad was late coming home from work. The door banging shut announced his presence. Mrs Potter heaved a relieved sigh and went to kiss him in greeting. "How was work, sweetheart?" she asked, worried; Mr Potter looked tired. 

He sighed and collapsed into a chair at the table, "Twenty Muggles killed by You-Know-Who… and his Death Eaters. Less wizards; Five were killed. We had to erase many memories, and try to track down these _Death Eaters!_" he spat the words with disgust and hatred.

James's face became hard, "When I graduate, I'll help you, Dad."

Mrs Potter whipped around to face her son, "No you will not!" she snapped, "I'm not having both my husband _and_ my son out against those horrible, sadistic wizards!"

"Why not, Mum? I'm good enough to sit here on my butt all day!" When James's mother's face didn't shift, he tried another tactic, "I'm good at counter curses!"

This time it was his father who spoke, "There's no counter curse for what they're using. It's one of the Unforgivable curses."

Sirius, who had been silent for the most of the time, whispered, "Avada Kedavra."

Mrs Potter, her eyes full of pain and worry, nodded, "James," she said, her voice echoing the emotions on her face, "Your father is already risking his life by showing his face to these monsters. I don't want to lose either you or your father. You're not going to do it. That is my final word." With that, she turned and walked out of the Dining Room. Mr Potter sighed, getting out of the chair to follow her into the kitchen, sending a warning look back to the two boys, telling them to stay put.

Sirius leaned sideways towards James, "Sheesh! She sounded like McGonagall there."

James didn't grin, but his face softened somewhat, "I'm still going to, Sirius." He said, "I'm going to become an Auror."

"I know, mate," Sirius said, "I'll be there with you too."

Mrs Potter walked in slowly, her eyes still puffy from the tears. She stopped; there were owls at the table. She frowned, then understood, "What's on your booklist?" she asked long-sufferingly.

James shrugged, looking at another letter addressed to him. Sirius was looking at the same letter, wide eyed, "James," he whispered.

"I don't know what it is," James picked it up, and slipped a finger under the edge of the flap of the envelope.

"James, I think it's…"

James continued opening his letter. He took it out and read the first line. James's face registered blank astonishment. The letter fell from numb fingers. Slowly it drifted to the floor. Sirius bent and picked it up. He, too read the first line, his face a mirror image of James's.

"What?" Mrs Potter asked, "What is it?"

Sirius cleared his throat and started to read it, "Congratulations, Mr James Potter, You have received the honour of Head Boy!"

"Head Boy!" Mrs Potter squeaked, "My little James?"

There was a thud. Sirius looked down at the figure of James on the floor, then back up to James's mother, "I think," He began, clicking his tongue, "I think it came as a bit of a shock."


	20. The Holidays: Part 2

Half way through the holidays and after a very late night, or early morning, Lily awoke to golden sunlight streaming through her window and onto her bed. The covers were slightly rumpled; thrown back as she slept. She grumbled and rolled out of the glaring rays. She pulled the covers over her head and tried to go back to sleep.

The sun was too warm on her back. Lily groaned again, her hand sneaking out from under the covers, grabbing her wand and magicking the window open, congratulating herself on such a clever move. She had almost forgotten that she was now of an age to do magic out of school. The cheery breeze blowing through the shutters took the heat out of the air, and Lily settled down for a nice nap.

To be woken up as something landed on one of her legs. Lily jumped; startling whatever it was off her. She turned her head to glare at the owl._ School owl_ part of her mind registered, and suddenly Lily was wide-awake. "Ooooh!" she squealed and snatched at the letter attached to its leg.

It fluttered it wings, landing on the chair nearby and hooting indignantly at her. Lily remembered her manners, "I'm sorry," she told it, "Can I read the letter?" she reached out and gently took the letter from it. It hooted at her again, and took off with a dignified rush of wings.

She undid the letter, with the wax seal of Hogwarts with shaking fingers. She read the letter, then smiled to herself. She vanished with a 'pop'.

"Mum!" she yelled as she appeared in the kitchen, "Mum!"

Her mother spun around, a foot from where Lily had appeared, and jumped, "Did I know you could do that?" she demanded fondly.

Lily shrugged, "I would walk but," she threw her hands into the air, "Saves time."

"You're going to get lazy." Her mother said warningly, "Not to mention fat."

Lily smiled at her mother, "Time is of essence, mother." She patted her shoulder, "You're just jealous."

Her mother smiled back at her, "My own little witch." Her eyes strayed down to what Lily was holding in her hand, "What is that? Your school list? That's early."

"Not really, but Mum!" Lily regained her excitement, her eyes sparkling, "I got Head Girl!"

Her mother patted her shoulder, "That's nice dear, but put some clothes on. Think if your father came down. Your too old now to wander around half naked."

Lily rolled her eyes, "I tend to think of it as half _dressed_." She vanished with another pop.

As soon as she was out of the room, her mother smiled and danced over to the stove, "I'm going to cook something marvellous for her!" she said to herself, "Think of it; my little Lily, Head Girl of her school!"

Ten minutes later, Lily, fully dressed now, ran down the stairs again and into the kitchen. "Happy now, Mum?" she asked, with laughter in her voice.

"What are we so happy about?" Petunia, her sister, demanded as she stalked into the kitchen. She was in her normal early morning temper, _Which,_ Lily thought to herself, _generally lasts all day. S_he turned to her sisterand smiled brilliantly, "I made Head Girl at Hogwarts."

Petunia showed her horse-like teeth in what might have passed for a smile, but was more like a grimace, "Bully for you." She muttered and sat at the table, spearing some of the food and relocating it on her plate.

Lily sat down and pulled a plate towards her as her mother deposited a fresh load of chocolate-chip pancakes onto the table. Startled, Lily looked at her mother, who smiled, "I know that they're your favourite, and I know we don't have them often, but Head Girl! I'm so proud of you, Lily."

Lily beamed at her mother, "I didn't think you really understood." She swallowed a tear, then, to disguise it, "Now you really will make me fat, Apparating or no."

She looked at the breakfast before her, _I wonder if James likes Choc-chip pancakes?_ She thought and blinked, mentally shaking herself, _Who cares? **I **certainly don't._ she speared a piece of pancake on her fork and munched on it. Another part of her mind came in, _Lily, you are thinking of him here, so be serious with yourself._ Her mental attitude softened for half a second, _Sirius is one of James's friends_. Then she shook herself again,_ Snap out of it!_

She looked up at her mother, "Can we please go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" she asked; "I need to get my school stuff."

Her mother hugged her around the shoulders, "'Course we can, sweetie." Her mother picked up the empty plate of pancakes and bustled it away to wash it.

Lily turned to Petunia, "Are you coming with us?"

Petunia shot her a look of contempt, "Why would I bother? What's for me with a bunch of freaks?"

"Petunia!" Lily's father strode into the room, "Don't speak to your sister that way."

Lily smiled long-sufferingly at her father, "It's okay, Dad." She said, "I'm used to it."

* * *

Remus looked down at the parchment on the table, then back up at his parents.

"No." he muttered.

His father nodded.

"I'm sorry, Remus, but we tried to object to the law. Unfortunately, we didn't get any support."

Remus swallowed hard, his throat heavy and rolled back the sleeve of his jumper. His werewolf registration branding number was still a raring, red welt.

"But I went through with the werewolf registration act! Miss Umbridge promised that I wouldn't have to put up with anymore laws as long as I was registered."

Remus's mother gulped back tears.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I know you wanted the badge."

Remus swallowed again as his mother continued, "I know you thought you could really help the school."

"It wasn't just the badge, not the position, either. I thought I could repay some of his kindness. Dumbledore's, I mean," Remus choked. His father squeezed his shoulder, then removed his hand, moving around the table to stand opposite his son.

"I'm sorry, son. But the law is laid down."

Remus looked back down at the parchment and unconsciously rubbed his forearms weal. It still hurt.

Remus's mother wrapped her slim arms around his shoulders. She was shorter than him, so it was quite a reach.

"I really hate that woman." Remus's father sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"She lied." Remus growled, his voice suddenly tight, "She lied."

Remus's mother started to cry, her tears coming unabated.

"I know, honey, I know."

Remus gulped. He hated it when his mother cried.

"It's ok, Mum." He said quietly, "At least I still have prefect…"

Remus's father's eyes flamed in rage.

"No, Remus." He commented, his normally quiet voice surprisingly strong, "Never settle for second best. Just because you are a werewolf, doesn't mean you are any lesser than normal wizards. Otherwise, you are just playing up to You-Know-Who's plans."

Remus's mother squeezed her seventeen-year-old son tight and then let him go. She looked up at him with amber eyes, something they both shared.

"Listen to your father, Remus. And never let that Umbridge tramp get you down. I have a feeling she is going to be a thorn in your side for the rest of your life."

Remus's hands clenched. Sometimes he wished he would lose all his self-control and go after Umbridge.

But then he would be no better than an animal…

* * *

Remus sat up in his study, an eagle feather quill in his hand.

"How should I tell the others?" he thought, "I mean, they will be wondering what is going on."

Suddenly, a handsome tawny owl, one that Remus identified as James's, rapped at the window. Remus opened the window to admit the owl.

"Hello Bran." Remus remarked as the owl settled on the windowsill, "Let me just see what I can find for you."

He walked over to his desk and pulled out a few owl treats. He poured some water into a dish from his water jug and set them out for Bran, who began to eat like there was no tomorrow. Remus chuckled as he opened the note, "You're just like your owner," he told the owl, and began to read;

_Dear Moony._

_What's going on with the Head Boy position? Since when do I get your mail? I think Dumbledore has finally gone nuts. I mean, how hard is it to tell one Marauder from the other? _

_Really, it's a bit scary. I cannot be Head Boy! I have a reputation to uphold!_

_Could you please write back with an explanation? I tried to send your badge (yes, it is your badge as I cannot possibly be Head Boy) with this letter, but it kept disappearing and reappearing in my room. Strange huh?_

_See you soon, wolf boy._

_James_

Remus suddenly grinned. He had a sneaking suspicion of who the Head Girl was.

_Oh deary me._ He thought, laughing, _She is going to get one **hell** of a surprise. Although she may not appreciate the irony._

He stretched his hands and looked out the window. The sun was just setting and the moon was just rising. It was still a little while away from full moon so Remus was feeling happy at night.

He lit up a desk light and put his quill to paper.

_My deer compatriot,_

_It gives me rather extensive humour and good emotions to inform you that yes, you are Head Boy. You see, the letter that says 'congratulations to James Potter' does not lie._

_On a more serious note: why I am not the one in your, somewhat marvellous, position. You see, a rather horrible woman by the name of Dolores Umbridge has brought to the Ministry's attention a recently passed law that has prevented any sub humans (like werewolves for example) from holding a position of power over their peers of the same age group. This includes the Head Boy position. _

_However, earlier this summer, I went through the Werewolf registration act, enabling me to have the rights of a rather lower class human, rather than the foolishly bad guidelines of a non-human. I can still keep my prefect's badge, on the provisor that I am restricted to doing the books and minutes at the meetings. This I do not mind, as with you as Head Boy, the meetings shall be rather… interesting_

_I look forward to working with you, compardre_

Yours truly, Remus 

Remus signed the letter with a flourish and a grin. The upcoming year was shaping up to be _really_ interesting.


	21. The Holidays: Part 3

Peter slouched along the cold cement footpath, scowling at the dark stormy clouds overhead. _Bloody hell._ He thought as fat raindrops began to fall, _just my luck. _He shrugged his jacket collar up higher and scowled deeper.

"I bet the rest are all having a good time together." He muttered, "Without me. I mean, it's not like they have remembered me or anything."

There was an almighty thump and Peter fell over backwards.

"Watch where you are going, rat!" a tall muggle boy said.

Peter gulped. He looked really tall from the ground. The muggle sneered and lifted Peter up by the collar.

"Say sorry, rat."

Peter went red but remained silent and defiant. The muggle sank his fist into Peter's gut. Peter dropped back to the ground, gasping for air.

"I asked you to say sorry." The muggle boy snarled, "I expect an answer."

Peter mumbled.

"Sorry."

The muggle boy smirked.

"See you around, rat."

He stormed off, leaving Peter alone on his back on the footpath. Peter growled and sat up, running a hand through his mousy coloured hair.

_That wouldn't have happened if my _friends_ were here to protect me_. He thought, bitterness filling him.

A shadow fell over him, briefly shielding him from the rain.

"Hello Peter." Avery remarked, smoothly, "What an interesting position to find one such as you in. I mean, a _pureblood_ being humiliated by a muggle. Really makes you think doesn't it?"

Peter frowned again and got to his feet.

"What do you want, Avery?" Peter asked, sullenly.

Avery looked up at the rain that was drenching both of them.

"Oh, nothing. I was just walking in the neighbourhood when I heard that rather uncouth young muggle brat make an effort to make your life hard. Tell me, where are your…"

Here Avery smiled slyly,

"_Friends?"_

Peter scowled.

"I don't know." He replied, looking at his feet. He hated how the Slytherin was smirking at him, as if he was going to laugh at him at any moment.

Avery tilted his head, radiating innocence.

"They mustn't be very good friends, then, to not even write a note to you over the summer holidays. If they were here, no putrid little muggle would even dare to take you on."

Peter thrust his hands into his pockets.

"Well, they aren't here." Peter retorted, "So I suppose I just have to deal with the muggles myself."

Avery tutted.

"But we cannot have that. That muggle was using pure strength upon you, something you do not have in large amounts and you are not allowed to hex him."

He smiled again.

"Tell you what, Peter. Meet me here tomorrow and I will show you what _real_ friends do for each other."

* * *

Peter looked up into the looming shapes that were Crabbe and Goyle.

"Umm…" he gulped.

Avery laid a soothing hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Peter." He smirked, "Crabbe and Goyle and myself will take care of your little muggle problem."

Crabbe and Goyle both gave lumbering grins and cracked their knuckles. A figure was approaching from down the footpath.

Avery raised an eyebrow at Peter.

"Tell me your _friends_ would take revenge for you. Or would they be too afraid of what it would do to their reputations."

Peter found himself chuckling. James, Remus and Sirius would never do what Crabbe, Goyle and Avery were doing for him now.

As Crabbe and Goyle started to beat the living snot out of the tall muggle boy who had insulted Peter the day before, a startling thought hit Peter's mind.

_Maybe being friends with the Slytherins isn't such a bad idea after all.

* * *

_

A few days later, and James and Sirius had set off for Diagon Alley. Sirius was in high spirits, bouncing around with a jingling moneybag; spending it on books, quills and, of course, food. James was with him, laughing and joking about anything that came into his mind.

Both kept a sharp eye out for Remus. They found him, nose in a book outside the second hand bookstore that he, supposedly, had the book from. Sirius snuck up behind him, "Hello Mister Wolf."

Remus spun around and grinned at them both.

"What large teeth you have." Finished Sirius, who was closest to where Remus was standing. "How have you been, Moony?"

Remus shrugged, "So-so. You guys?"

James laughed, "Fine. Sirius bought an apartment for himself."

Remus raised an eyebrow, "You have that sort of money?" he asked, "What did you steal?"

Sirius smirked, "Why would you think I'd steal anything? I got that money quite innocently from my uncle." His cheerful expression darkened, "About the only good thing the 'Honourable House of Black' has ever created. He lives a little by their rules, and therefore has money."

James looked at him, "Awww…" he said, no particular sympathy in his tone, "Well, they created you, so they must be okay."

"Okay?" Sirius's voice was strangled, "Are you joking? You don't want to know what they do. What they train their children to do." he shuddered.

"Hey, guys." Came a voice from behind them, then a thump told the three Marauders that the owner of the voice had fallen over.

"Hey Peter." They chorused without turning. Then they did, and grinned at him. James strolled forwards to grip his elbow and help him up.

"How have you been, Wormtail?" he asked as he brushed the dirt from his back.

Peter looked down. "Okay." He said defensively.

James frowned at Peter's tone, "What have you been up to?" he asked, trying to draw Peter into the conversation.

"Nothing!" Peter snapped. Sirius raised his eyebrows at James. James shrugged slightly in answer.

"Anyway," Peter glared up at them, "What have _you_ guys been up to? Over at each other's houses, I expect."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Wormtail." He said exasperatedly, "You _knew_ I was over at James's house. But now I have an apartment all my own. How wicked is that?"

"All three of us haven't really caught up until just now. And now you're here, so all four of us are here." Remus said, looking hard at Peter, "Why?"

Peter looked down again, "No reason." He muttered, "Just… curious."

Sirius looked at him, frowning and wondering what was keeping him so snappish and sharp, "Come on, guys! Let's go and explore the bookshop!"

Remus leaned backwards slightly, "Bookshop?" he asked sceptically, "Sirius, you and _books_ do not go in the same sentence… unless of course there is a negative in it somewhere."

Sirius shrugged, "Mieh. Come _on_ guys" he called over his shoulder as he bounced off.

"What does he want in there?" Remus wondered aloud.

James said nothing; he too had seen the flash of red hair among the aisles, and was grateful to Sirius for giving him the opportunity to check it out.

* * *

Lily growled; these 'Invisible books of Invisibility' were _impossible_ to find. She shrugged, her gaze flicking out the window. Her eyes widened and she ducked behind a pile of books: the Marauders were just outside! More than that, James was with them. She bit her lip, then relaxed slightly; as if they would go into a bookshop.

She froze as she saw Sirius bound in first, _what the…?_ She thought, _what is wrong with the world?_ Then she saw Sirius towards the counter, where the store kept some confectionary bars. _Okay,_ she thought, _now the world can start spinning again_.

Sirius picked one up, "These are cheaper here than anywhere else in Diagon Alley."

"No they're no" James began, then stopped when Sirius winked at him, "Ooooh." He breathed, "Yeah… sorry, I couldn't see the price tag."

Lily watched their lips move, wishing fervently that she could read them. Then she froze and tried desperately to burrow into the books behind her as James started to walk in her direction, _No._ she thought, _Potter. Damn. Anyone but him. Even Siri… well… maybe not him. But Remus I could deal with_. James squatted down in the aisle next to her, and started to look at the books. Just as Lily started to relax, he spoke.

"That's you, isn't it, Lily?"

"No." she said quickly, then cursed, "I was reading the titles of these books here." She said as nonchalantly as she could muster. _Yeah, that's a good one,_ she thought, _beat that, Potter!_

"Uh… Lily?" he asked, "All the spines of the books are facing me."

Lily turned bright red. _Damn_ she thought, "I… was just… umm…"

"Hey Prongs!" Called a voice, and James spun around to wave at Sirius. Lily closed her eyes in relief as James said goodbye, _For once in my life, I will be grateful to a Black._ She watched them walk out of the store, only then noticing that Sirius had not, actually, bought one of the 'extra cheap' candies.


	22. You'll Get Used to It

Lily loaded her luggage onto the train, hauling it torturouslybehind her. She couldn't help looking down to where she had pinned her badge. The silver glimmer proudly bore the two words: Head Girl.

She made her way to the entrance of the train, where the compartments were, and grinned to herself. It took her longer than usual; people were stopping her to congratulate her as they too saw the badge pinned to her chest.

Tamara squealed when she saw her, as Alice beamed. "Congratulations." She said quietly.

Lily smiled, "Thanks. How were your holidays? I meant to catch up, but letters was all I could manage."

"You would have had _so _much fun with me!" Tamara said exuberantly, "I told you we went to Italy, and you should've _seen_ the Wizards there! They were _gorgeous! _Of course, nothing really compared to Sirius, but it was nice to look."

Lily grinned, "Look?" she asked, "_Drool _you mean. They must've had buckets set out for you wherever you went."

Tamara rolled her eyes and punched Lily half heartedly, "Alice, tell Lily where you went for your holidays! I bet _you_ saw the hottest guys out of all of us."

Alice smiled gently, "I just went to Venice."

Lily nodded in appreciation, "See anyone we know?"

Alice blushed slightly, "Yeah, Frank was there as well. My parents spent most of their time in the cafes, but I spent my time on the canals with Frank."

"Romantic," Lily said, and smiled, "You and Frank would be nice together."

Alice blushed again, and shook her head.

Another thought hit Lily, "Hey, do either of you guys know who the Head Boy is? I have an inkling, but it's always good to know for sure."

Tamara exclaimed, her eyes twinkling, "You'll _never_ guess!" she said excitedly, "It's –" she stopped short as Alice clapped a hand over her mouth.

Alice looked at Lily, a sparkle of amusement lighting her eyes as well, "You'll find out soon enough." She said, "Now off you go! The sooner you get to your compartment, the sooner you'll know."

Lily made a face at the mysterious Alice and the pouting Tamara and then grinned as she swept past them.

* * *

Lily stepped into the Head's Compartment, and closed the door with some relief against the throb of noise beating against her ears. She turned and was confronted by a mop of messy black hair sitting in the corner, right behind a Witch Weekly Magazine. That hair could only belong to one person.

"Potter." She began flatly, "What are _you_ doing in here?"

James' voice (had she really expected anyone else's?) came from behind the magazine, "I'm _supposed_ to be here. Hey! This magazine is really full of n–"

Lily interrupted him abruptly: she did _not_ want him to continue, "This is the _Head's_ compartment." She snarled.

James raised his eyebrows, "I realised. You see, I 'knew' you'd be in here, so I just 'popped' in to say hello."

Lily glared at him: at his stupid sayings and smile. At his stupid hair that would _not _lie straight. She just wanted to _flatten _it and _NO!_ She thought, interrupting herself, "Get out." She hissed at Potter.

"I'm sorry Lily Flower, but, you see: I'm actually _meant _to be here."

"Oh yeah?" Lily gritted her teeth, "_Prove_ it."

James grinned, obviously relishing this. He stood, laying the magazine on the seat gently and placed a hand under the silver badge on his own chest, "Read it with me." His voice had tones of sarcasm and playfulness twined around the whisper, "_Head…Boy_."

Lily's eyes widened, but she tried to hide her surprise, "I _can_ read, Potter."

James smiled smugly, "Then you know I am fully authenticated to be in here."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "No. You _obviously _stole it from Remus."

Sirius chose this moment to poke his head around the corner, "Actually, he didn't."

Lily whipped around, "Black." She said in short acknowledgement.

He grinned at her, and then stepped aside to make room for Remus. Lily stared at him, as if hoping he would tell her that it was just another prank from the two idiots.

Remus smiled long-sufferingly, and shook his head, "No, Lily. He is telling the truth."

She frowned, "But I was so sure that…"

Here James piped up, "Yeah, so was I. Trust me Evans. I was nearly as surprised as you are." Here, James threw a look at a sniggering Sirius, telling him to _shut up!_ But, as usual, this only made him laugh harder, "Of course, it's sunk in now. Took a while though."

"But… but." Lily sputtered, _Oh crap_ she thought, _Dumbledore must've lost his mind!_ She thought about the long year ahead. With James beside her, _No!_ She screamed in her mind, shaking her head, _No. Nononono._

Remus grimaced, "I know." He came forwards to place a hand on her shoulder, "But you'll get used to it."

She looked over at James, who was grinning from ear to ear at her, "Somehow, I don't think I will." She muttered as James grinned even more.

* * *

"Hey, Evans," James looked at her as they stepped off the train, " Do you know what?"

"Not personally." She mumbled sourly.

James tilted his head on the side, "Huh?"

Lily rolled her eyes and sighed, "Never mind… what were you going to say?"

"Because we're the Head Students and all, we get our own, _private_ common room, and dormitories, with a _private _bathroom."

Lily glared, "Great." She muttered sarcastically.

James enthusiastically nodded his agreement, "Isn't it?"

Lily turned and walked to the nearest "horseless" carriage to take her to Hogwarts, and that was all the answer James Potter was going to get.

"Hey Prongs!" Sirius called from one of the carriages.

James gaped at Lily's retreating back. _All I did was ask a question_, he thought as he made his way to the carriage. _But then again, perhaps it was a bit suggestive_. He sighed: It was going to be a long year.


	23. Moody Moony

Remus glared up at the Teachers Table, where the Sorting Hat was sitting on a stool, waiting for the First Years to stumble through and be sorted. Remembering his first year at Hogwarts, his expression lightened slightly.

He turned around, ready to face the world… and his friends, then he saw James, the Head Boy badge flashing on his chest, waving and grinning around the table. He rolled his eyes and narrowed his eyes again at the Sorting Hat.

"Hey, Moo-oony." Called Sirius, waving a hand in front of his face, "Back to the present moment if you please."

Remus turned the full intensity of his glare on Sirius, who leapt backwards, "Woah!" He exclaimed, "Someone's Moody." He paused, "Hey, that rhymes." He bounced happily, chanting, "Moody Moony, Moody Moony."

Remus rolled his eyes, "You're worse than Peeves."

Sirius grinned and shrugged, then the opening doors drew his attention to the First Years entering through the doors of the Great Hall. He nudged Remus in the ribs, "Hey, Moony!" he whispered, "That's my cousin!"

Remus tried to lift himself out of his grumpy mood. He looked up, "Which one?"

"That one!" He pointed at the thirty students who had walked through the doors.

Remus glared at Sirius, "Oh, how very helpful that was." He said sarcastically.

Sirius grinned, "You can't figure it? Well, the one with the bright blue hair."

"Oh."

"You can see her now?"

"Difficult to miss, that hair."

"She's a Metamorphagus." Sirius said proudly.

"You can pronounce such a long word correctly? Sirius, I am pleased and proud."

Sirius stuck his tongue out at him, and turned to watch. After several minutes came the call, "Tonks, Nymphadora."

"_Nymphadora?_" asked Remus in a pained whisper.

Sirius shrugged, "Her mother was obsessed with it."

Remus pulled a face, "Poor girl."

Spinning around in his seat, Sirius grabbed Remus's sleeve, "Make me a deal."

"What?" Remus asked suspiciously.

"_Always_ call her Nymphadora. It annoys her _so_ much." He chuckled evilly, "Fun too!"

Remus raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps."

Perhaps luckily, Sirius couldn't implore any more because Tonks's House was called out. Sirius cat-called her, "Nymphadora!" he waved at her to get her attention and she changed direction to walk past them.

"Sirius," she mumbled, "Do you _have_ to call me like that?"

"By your name? But it's such a _beautiful_ name!"

Tonks glared and cuffed him half-heartedly over the head, knocking a goblet from the table. Remus, who had been half-expecting such an occurrence, caught the goblet as it fell towards the ground. "Here." He offered, giving it back to her.

Tonks blushed and smiled sheepishly, "I always do things like that," she explained. She looked around the table at the other people. James waved with a wink at her, grinning at Sirius and Remus. Tonks's eyes widened as she noticed the badge on his chest, "You're friends with the Head Boy?"

Sirius leaned towards her, "We only let him out occasionally. All this attention tends to go to his head; too much of it and… well. Kaboom!"

James had now tuned into their conversation, "Why, thank you for that, Padfoot." He said dryly.

"Padfoot?" Tonks asked sceptically.

"You like Tonks. I like Padfoot."

Tonks grinned evilly, "Okay, _Sirius_."

Sirius glared, "Don't even think about it."

"Oh I will," Tonks said, starting to walk again, "_Seriously._"

James laughed, "She's good."

Sirius turned his glare on James, "Yeah." He said shortly.

At the Teacher's table, Dumbledore stood, drawing everyone's gaze and making the chatter die down, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I hope you enjoy it as much as I will. For the First Years (and all the other Years who have been anxiously waiting for this moment) I would like to introduce you to your new Head Boy and Girl.

Our Head Girl is Lily Evans!" he looked down to where Lily was blushing slightly but smiling as she waved timidly at the clapping students around her. "And our Head Boy," he continued, "Is no other than Mr. James Potter!"

James stood up, with both hands in the air, grinning as the crowd laughed and cheered for him. Sirius tugged him down, laughing, "Idiot." He said, then looked back up at Dumbledore, who was beaming at them all.

"Well," Dumbledore said, "With that announced, you can eat. Enjoy."

The gold plates filled with food, and James attention was diverted significantly between the pork on plate and Lily Evans along the table.

"So," Sirius began after several helpings, "Moody Moony. Why so?"

Remus raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Why so Moody?"

Remus turned at stared at James, who was waving around at people again, and appeared to change the subject, "James is exuberant."

With a puzzled smile, Sirius said, "Yes?"

"Very annoyingly so."

It clicked in Sirius's mind that if Remus expected to get the Head Boy badge, he'd be more than a little jealous. He decided to lighten the situation, "That's cause he's gotten to Stage Two!"

Remus frowned, "What was Stage One?"

"Being unconscious on the floor."

After a few minutes, comprehension flickered into Remus's eyes and he grinned. Sirius grinned back: proud at himself for getting the first smile of the day from his grumpy friend. "What's Stage Three going to be?"

"Finding out how much work it's going to be."

Remus smiled slightly, "And Stage Four has nothing to do with being Head Boy."

"How _did_ you know I was plotting?"

Eyebrows raised Remus explained, "You get an evil glint in your eye as soon as you think of Lily and James in the same sentence."

"I do not!"

"Do so." Remus paused, "You know what? You need a different project."

Sirius shook his head, "This project is _just_ fine. It's the Get Lily And James Together Before They Die Of Old Age And Arguments project. Otherwise known as GLAJTBTDOOAAA project."

Remus goggled at him, "How in Merlin's Name did you remember all those letters?"

Sirius blinked. And again. He looked at Remus blankly, "I didn't."

Remus looked at him strangely, "Let's just rename it, okay?"

"Okay!" then Sirius's eyes lit up, "Like a _secret code name_ that we can use _right in front_ of them, and _they don't know!_"

"Yeah, if you like. What is it then?"

Sirius waved a careless hand , "I'll think of the tiny insignificant details later." He clapped his hands together, "Right now let's _plot!_"

Remus laughed, "We can plot later. The Main course has gone."

"Dessert!" Sirius yelped, horrified that he hadn't got the first helping of the chocolate tart.

* * *

At the end of the meal, Dumbledore bid them goodnight. James sat as the other students filed around him, yawning and dragging their feet. He waved at them and waited for Dumbledore to show himself and Lily where to go.

After ten minutes he did. He strode energetically between the tables to where James was sitting. "Hello you two!" he greeted them joyfully, "Hope becoming the Head of the School was a pleasant surprise for the year?"

"You have no idea." James mumbled.

Dumbledore beamed at him and lead them along many corridors and up staircases. James sincerely hoped that Lily was remembering this, cause it was going straight over his head.

Eventually, the winding path that Dumbledore had lead them through the maze of corridors came to an end. They were standing in front of a portrait of a forest. It was a glade with a stream of water running through it. James sighed as he looked at it; it was very peaceful. Beside him, Lily sighed as well. Apparently, she was thinking the same thing.

Dumbledore turned to them, the eyes behind his glasses twinkling merrily, "Well, I'll leave you two to explore inside. The password is Gesundheit." As he finished the password, the portrait swung open. He turned and left.

James peered in through the doorway. "Wow." He said as he stepped through.


	24. The Head Rooms

Despite the many references to animal cruelty in this chapter, no animals were harmed in the making of this mm… chapter.

Oh, and to warn you. Not much really happens in this chapter… You know how the descriptions are. Tried out fluff too! Tell us if it worked, Please?

* * *

Lily looked around with wide eyes, and echoed James's words, or word: "Wow." The Head's Common room was enormous. Not only that; it was plush.

Crimson carpet covered the floor, a fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. Lily stepped towards the leather couches in front of the fire, her feet sinking several inches into the carpet. As she did so more of the room came into her field of vision. "Whoa." She repeated as she saw the piano. "Is that," she began after staring for a few minutes, "Is that made of mahogany?"

"Probably," James remarked casually, "It's a Baby Grand."

Lily blinked at him, then looked back at the piano, "Now I wish more than ever that I could play an instrument."

James blushed slightly, but Lily was facing away from him, "I'm gonna check out my room." She said, walking away looking like a clown: Her head was turning this way and that, trying to take everything in. Her head turned left and there was a tapestry woven in rich red and gold patterns. As she looked at it, the patterns formed a lion, which roared fiercely at her. She grinned slightly and continued.

The cushiony carpet went all the way to her room. She looked at the door, where the words, _Lily Evans_ were etched in gold lettering. _Nice, _she thought, opening the door. Inside was the regular four-poster bed. But somehow it seemed to look even more comfortable. _Perhaps it being in this room makes a difference. _Her trunk was on the floor at the foot of her bed and next to that was a chest of drawers.

Walking over to her trunk, Lily rescued her pyjamas from the depths of it. About to lift her top over her head, she stopped. Turning around to face her door, she saw it was open. Narrowing her eyes, she kicked it shut before getting changed.

Once changed, she wriggled delightedly in her pyjamas; they were _comfortable_. No matter that they had fluffy ducks on them: fluffy ducks were cute. She looked at her bed, then shrugged and started unpacking her trunk, moving this and that around and repositioning her clothes to the chest of drawers.

Once finished, she crawled slowly into bed._ I'll bet James's room isn't as comfortable as _mine, she thought smugly as she turned on her side. She tucked one hand under the pillow and closed her eyes, thinking, _I wonder what it looks like_.

After five minutes she opened them again, "What if Potter's room _is_ more comfortable than mine?" she said aloud, "That would be outrageously unfair! I'd better check it… just in case," she paused for thought, "It's not like he'll be in there."

* * *

James was unpacking his trunk when he heard… something. It was a sudden absence of noise, like someone trying very hard to be quiet. He sighed, "Padfoot, how the hell did you find out our password this quickly?" he turned… and raised an eyebrow. Instead of a wickedly grinning Sirius, or even wickedly grinning dog, Lily Evans stood in the doorway.

"Oh." He said quietly, running a hand through his hair. Lily Evans wearing pyjamas in the doorway to his _room_. James sighed slightly; he would not sleep tonight, "What is it, Lily?" he asked gently.

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, "Nothing!" she said quickly, "I just wanted… I just wanted to see if your room was better than mine!"

James smiled slightly, "And is it?"

Lily lifted her chin, looking around, "No."

James grinned at her, "I'll bet it isn't." he said softly.

Blushing, Lily cast her mind around for a subject that wouldn't abandon her in the town of Total Humiliation, "These rooms have a lot of squishy carpet." She said, inwardly wincing.

"Yep," James said, turning back to his trunk.

"They must be hell to keep clean, even with magic." Lily watched, horrified as her mouth kept blabbing.

James shrugged, "Not my job" He said, flinging his underpants over his shoulder. Lily shuddered and took a step back as the underpants flew past her face, "Ew." She stated as they landed on the floor.

James turned and grinned at her, "I missed."

Lily relaxed, grateful for James to give her something to yell at him about, "You know those House-elves will have to clean that up, Potter! Here they are, working all hours and you throw your…" She paused slightly, "Your… _Underpants!_ On the floor."

James looked around, affecting an air of nonchalance to smother a grin, "Oh yes, so I did." He looked up at Lily, and she fidgeted slightly, crossing her arms again, "Well, time for you to go back to your comfortable room."

"Yes, time to go." Lily nodded and started to turn away.

"Or…" Lily looked back as James's eyes shifted from her to his bed and back again, "Want to test if my bed's the more comfy one?" he asked hopefully.

She stared at him for several long moments, "No." she said, turning back to her room.

James shrugged, turning back to his trunk, "Worth a try." He said to the wall.

* * *

Lily woke up the next morning in a totally unfamiliar bed, _Shit_, she thought, rolling over and hitting the floor. To be confronted by her trunk. _Oh, _she thought, remembering that she was in the Head Girls room, _Oh. That's alright then._ She stretched, untangled herself from her blankets and made her way to where she hoped the bathroom was.

It wasn't there. After several tries, she made it to the right room. Walking through the door, she took a while to savour the bathroom's appearance. It was similar to the Prefects bathroom, but it had showers as well, with the big swimming-pool-like 'bath' in the centre and the two showers in the corners. Beautiful patterns decorated the walls and water features made the light reflect in ripples across the walls. About to slip out of her clothes, Lily spun around and locked the door.

After half an hour of warm, steamy bliss, (A/N: God bless showers, no, I'm not religious, I just like showers, okay?) Lily walked out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her. She darted through the carpeted corridors to her room, locking the door again behind her: she did not trust Potter not to spy if he could.

After ten minutes, she was dressed and ready to go downstairs. She opened her door to the hall, and started to walk briskly down it, only to nearly run into James as he stumbled through the hallways to the shower.

She leapt backwards; he was wearing no top! "Potter!" she snapped to cover her embarrassment, "Breakfast is in fifteen minutes and you are only _now_ getting out of bed! Hurry up!"

James turned around to her, smiled sleepily and said, "I'll see you down at the Breakfast Hall at that time then, shall I?"

Lily fled to the Breakfast Hall.

(A/N: yes, it would be all so clichéd if James 'just so happened to be' in the bathroom already, or Lily 'just so happened' to be getting changed while James walked in. But no, sorry guys, but this is not the X rated chapter… yet )

A special thanks to all who have reviewed in the past and hopefully in the future fingers crossed You all get virtual butterbeer and cookies!


	25. Too Close

Ok.. well it's back! and a very quick update if i do say so myself! only a few days.. you should be proud! Ok ... ok i'll let you get on with the story! >>>>

**_Disclaimer:_****_ This is a work of fan fiction. Any similarities, without satirical intent, to copyrighted characters/material, or individuals living or dead, are purely coincidental. J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Warner Brothers, or any of the other entities holding copyright or license to the Harry Potter books or films has not endorsed this story. No connection is implied or should be inferred and no money is being made._**

**_

* * *

_**

Sirius watched as Lily entered the Breakfast Hall. Her face was very red, which meant – in Sirius's mind – that she:

a) Had been running long distances through the hallways

b) Had just been embarrassed

c) Had fought with James, or

d) Had just seen James naked.

Sirius voted option d, though b and c were both plausible in their own right. A he discarded for being too clean.

He grinned to himself as she saw how close her friends had sat to the Marauders. She rolled her eyes and sat two seats down from Sirius: next to Tamara. Sirius chuckled evilly, causing Lily to shoot him a worried look. He just grinned, and turned back to his breakfast: she'd find out later.

And she did. It was a few seconds later when James walked in, clean and dressed. He looked around, seeing two spots that were clear near his friends. One was next to Peter. The other was between Sirius and Lily.

Three guesses to the seat he chose.

Correct.

He sat next to Lily.

* * *

Lily watched out of the corner of her eye as James sat next to her. She ignored him, or tried to. She reached out to grab her usual; toast with strawberry jam. But she remembered what 'Potter' had said to her, and changed direction to a couple of sausages and eggs. 

Beside her, James raised his eyebrows, "No toast?"

Lily looked across at him evenly, "No." and, because it had been her intention to point that out, she added, "See? You don't know me so well after all."

"Wow, Lily. That's like the first time I've ever seen you eat anything other than –." The rest of Tamara's sentence was seriously hampered by Lily's palm over her mouth. "Mphp phmph!" she complained.

James smiled at Lily, his eyes crinkling at the edges, "No," he said, "I don't know you at all."

Lily dealt with this the only way she knew how: by ignoring it. Or him, as the case may be. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but changed her mind and turned back to Tamara.

"Smooth, Prongs." Sirius observed, "Very smooth."

James turned around to look at his best friend, "I didn't say anything!" he objected.

"That's the point. You let her walk all over you, my Buck. That's suicide for the male species! Don't let them _know_ they have the upper hand!"

"You're considering females to be a different species?" Remus asked ironically.

"Well they're hard enough to understand." James said, flicking a glance over his shoulder to Lily.

"Yeah, personally I don't think they speak the same language that we do." Sirius added.

"I didn't know sex was a language."

At the same time, both James and Remus turned to Peter, "Shuddup."

"That, Peter, is something _you_ wouldn't know about," Sirius said smugly.

"And you would, Black?" Tamara asked, grinning slyly at him.

Before Sirius could answer, Lily interjected with, "Could we _please_ change the subject to something more suitable to the _breakfast table_?"

Sirius grinned at her, "Making you uncomfortable, are we?"

"No." she said defiantly.

Sirius looked ready to argue the point, but James stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, "Sirius, just drop it." He turned to Remus and began talking about the Charm Spell that they were supposed to be practising.

Sirius made a face at the back of James's head before listening with one ear to their conversation.

Looking over at the girls, he noticed that Lily and Tamara looked to be getting quite animated in theirs'; Tamara's cheeks were flushed, bringing a sparkle into her eyes. Sirius hummed to himself, grinning.

* * *

Tamara shook her head vigorously, "No, you're absolutely wrong. Nothing can contradict an Avada Kedavra curse!" 

"What about some really old magic?" Lily insisted, "There has to be some defence."

"No, it's impossible to block. Nothing in history has ever stopped it." Tamara said.

"Hmm…" Lily trailed off, "I'm going to look into that." She sat thoughtfully for a moment, eating quietly.

Next to her, James watched as her fork went towards her plate… actually, his plate that she had mistaken her hers. And that – very sharp – fork had narrowly missed his hand! Lily, apparently unaware, had skewered a piece of James's half-eaten bacon. James's mouth was open as he watched his food being transferred to Lily's mouth.

"Umm." Sirius, also watching the food, began, "You're not going to… eat that, are you?"

Lily glanced at him, "And why wouldn't I?" she asked coolly, thinking he was going to be snide about her figure.

"Cause it's mine!" James burst out, "And I was eating it!"

Lily's gaze flickered down to the bacon, "_Ew_!" she dropped it hurriedly onto James's plate.

Tamara, chuckling, chose this moment to interrupt, "Yeah, it would be like kissing him!"

Lily shuddered slightly.

"Hey!" James objected, "It wouldn't be that bad."

* * *

Sirius was still laughing as they walked towards Charms. As they spotted Snape, Sirius sobered up, "Do we have _every_ class with Slytherins?" he growled. 

"Nearly," Remus answered, "You just notice those ones that you have with them, mostly because you get into trouble and have to stay in."

Sirius grinned and shrugged, "Small price to pay."

They lined up outside the classroom, laughing and joking. When Professor Flitwick arrived and opened the door, they filed in and chose seats.

"Today," Squeaked Flitwick, "We shall be revising what we covered last lesson. I do hope that you practised it as I told you to as the students who can show me that they have satisfactorily completed it, they may have the rest of the lesson as free time." Several students, the Marauders included, grinned happily.

"You may begin," Flitwick said, "Miss Evans, could you show me yours please?"

Lily picked up her wand, "What type of wooden object, Professor?" she asked.

Flitwick thought for a moment, "A dragon, please. _Small_ mind you, Miss Evans."

She grinned at him, waved her wand – she had already masted the skill of not having to speak the incantation – and created a tiny replica of a dragon, perfect in every detail. Flitwick applauded, "Well done, Miss Evans. Full marks, as usual. You may go to the library if you wish."

Lily smiled, "I took the liberty of bringing a book with me, Professor."

James and Sirius, watching, rolled their eyes at each other. Professor Flitwick, unfortunately, saw it, "Black, Potter," he said, "You next."

Sirius grinned, "But what if we're hopeless and can't do it?"

"Just show me."

Sirius sighed extravagantly, waved his wand and created five small wooden darts to shoot out of his wand and towards the opposite wall. Professor Flitwick ducked as they flew past his head and glared, "Trust _you_ to do that, Black."

Sirius just grinned and shoved James forwards, "Your turn, Prongs, my boy."

After muttering the incantation, James created a small wooden rose. After the professor nodded and walked to the next student, James stood, and walked to Lily's desk, placing the rose on her books.

She looked up from her book, and glanced at the rose and then finally looked up at James, "That is so corny."

James shrugged and smiled, "It could have been a lily, Evans."

She blushed slightly and looked down, to read her book again.

James sat in the seat next to her to watch Remus and Peter try their luck. Sirius, James noted, had retrieving his darts, and retreated back to his seat.

Sirius looked at his darts, then at the wall. He wrinkled his nose slightly, then took aim and threw one to where they had hit before. It landed a couple of inches to the left. He made a face and tried again. He hit.

Starting to get bored, Sirius looked around for a more interesting target. At that moment Severus Snape sat down, two seats in front of him. Sirius's eyes lit up. Taking casual aim, he threw the dart towards Snape. It flew neatly through the air, past Snape, to smash Lily's inkbottle.

"Dammit!" she exclaimed as ink went everywhere. Everywhere included her book, and James's lap. James spun around in his chair and glared at Sirius, who tried – and failed – to look innocent.

Sirius stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth slightly, concentrating. James watched, nonplussed as the next dart flew from Sirius's hand to the other side of Snape, towards Tamara's chair. It hit it and rebounded. Tamara turned and stared at Sirius, who winked. She seemed to melt slightly and turned back to the front, smiling to herself.

"_What_ are you _doing_, Sirius?" James asked.

Sirius made another face, not really paying attention to anyone else, "A little to the left."

James looked from Sirius to Snape, to the dart in Sirius's hand. His eyes widened,"Oh no."

This time, the dart left Sirius's hand and landed straight in the back of Snape's head. Sirius paled, "Too far." He whispered.

Everyone turned to look at Snape as he screamed.

James nodded in agreement, "Yep… a tad to far."

A/N: well there you go.. another chapter done.. i hope that it was ok.. please review.. see that purple box to your left.. yeah.. it's not just there for decoration.. hint hint!

Love you guys! Love from Purplelight!


	26. Better You than Me

Professor Flitwick spun around as he heard the screams. Seeing Snape holding his head and screaming blue murder, and Sirius trying to hide his face under his hand, the Professor immediately jumped to a conclusion. It was amazingly correct, "Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, you two please stay in after class. Mr Snape, I suggest you go to the Hospital Wing if you are in so much pain; the class is nearly finished. The rest of the class is dismissed."

Sirius stood up and tried to tiptoe away.

"Mr Black!"

He froze.

"What did I say before?" Flitwick's voice was slightly amused, but in no mood to be humoured.

Sirius turned around, walked back to his seat and sat down, trying to look like he hadn't moved.

"I thought so." The Professor walked around to stand in front of Sirius and James, his hands behind his back. After looking up at the desk they were both now sitting at, he Summoned some books to stand on so he could look them in the eye.

"Professor," came a voice from the front of the classroom, "My ink is everywhere."

"Miss Evans," Professor Flitwick said without turning around, "you go to Hogwarts, School of _Witchcraft_ and Wizardry. What does this mean?"

Lily's face brightened up, "Oh yeah!" she waved her wand and the ink vanished, she tapped a shard of her inkbottle, muttering, "_Reparo_." And it reassembled itself again, "Next time," she said determinedly, "I'm putting an Unbreakable Charm on the glass."

James grinned at her, then wiped the smile off of his mouth as the Professor turned back to him, "Which one of you threw the dart?" he asked.

As one, both pointed at the other.

Then they looked where they pointed.

"Me?" James asked, outraged.

Sirius shrugged, "Better you than me." He grinned. James laughed for a moment, "You just dobbed yourself in, Padfoot."

Sirius thought for a second, then slapped himself on the forehead, "Bollocks!"

Professor Flitwick, however, was oblivious, "Which one of you threw the dart, then, boys?"

"I couldn't of, Professor; I was sitting over there next to Evans." James piped up. He pointed to his crotch, "See, the ink on my pants!"

The Professor raised his eyebrows, "Well, if the Head Girl can vouch for you, you are free to go." He turned to Lily.

She smirked at James and he gulped, _Oh sodding hell_, he thought, _Of anyone to get me out of trouble, Lily is the _least_ likely… well… maybe if I smile at her?_ He tried it… it didn't seem to work. James could feel the grin slipping from his face and his eyes turning pleading.

Lily rolled her own eyes and turned to the Charms Professor, "Yes, Professor, I will vouch for him. He even told Sirius to stop."

"Great, Evans," Sirius said, "Just great."

James jumped up and punched the air, "Woopah!" he yelled. He turned to Flitwick, "I'm off?"

"That's what I said, Mr Potter. You are free to go."

James bounced out of the room after Lily, waving a happy good-bye to Sirius, who was looking back to Professor Flitwick with an expression of cautious anxiety.

"No! You can't leave me here!" Sirius wailed, then another thought frisked across his mind, "Hold up!" he yelped, "What if the Head Girl was lying?"

Professor Flitwick looked at him sceptically, "Why would Miss Evans _lie_, Mr Black?"

Sirius twisted uncomfortably on his seat.

"Especially in Mr Potter's favour." Flitwick continued.

Sirius opened his mouth, thought for a moments, and closed it again, "You have a point." He winced, "What do I have to do?"

* * *

James slowed to get his pace to match Lily's. he was feeling amazingly nervous, "Umm… Lily?"

She turned, still walking, "What is it, Potter." It was barely a question.

"Thanks for that."

She shrugged, "It was the truth."

"I didn't think that you'd let me get out of it for a second there."

She rolled her eyes and continued, "Neither did I."

James hurried after her, "Look, Evans, umm…" He looked like he was about to say something else, then changed his mind.

Lily stopped, looking at him intently, "What is it, Potter?"

She watched with slight amusement as he gulped. The sun shined from a window across his face and illuminated his eyes and she looked away for a moment, continuing on her march to Lunch.

After a few seconds, she heard the thump of James's feet as he caught up to her, "Lily."

She turned her head to face him again, wondering slightly why she was according him so much courtesy. Then she shrugged mentally and looked around, "Potter, if you don't start saying what you wanted to, I'm going to walk away."

"Will you go out with me?"

She started to walk away. "Oh God, come on Lily, I was joking. This is like that song, where this guy likes this girl and…"

But Lily had tuned out, instead sometimes glancing at James's face - as if she _was_ actually listening. He looked quite animated. Quite cute really. She stomped on that thought, squashing it – or trying to. It was like a cockroach!

"Don't you agree?"

"Yes, yes." Lily said, mind still on cockroaches, "They're a major pest."

James looked at her blankly, "Oh… yes. Especially in London. You mightn't think so, with all that weather. But they are…"

Lily nodded and tuned out again. James watched, greatly amused, as Lily's eyes glazed over slightly. He went back to his story, "So anyway, this guy keeps asking her…"

The two turned around the corner before the Hall. Lily came back to herself, "Um… thanks." She said, "that was really interesting. I totally agree with it. Umm… it was nice listening to you." She turned and walked away to her seat.

James stared after her for a few moments. Remus popped his head around the corner, "What was that about?" he asked.

James smiled slightly, "She wasn't listening."


	27. PreMatch Arguments

James walked, unconcerned into the Hall for lunch. He sat down self-assuredly and waited.

… And waited.

… And waited.

He looked at his watch briefly, as inconspicuously as possible. Then he looked left, along the table of students, all in their little groups of friends. He looked along to the right. Frowning slightly, James noticed the spare seat between him and the first groups on either side. He looked to the left again, then down to where his feet where twisting uncomfortably under the table.

He looked at his watch, then huffed, "Okay, he's not coming." James stood up and scouted around the Hall for Remus.

He was sitting next to Peter, with his homework spread out around him. Peter was just staring at the amount with his mouth gaping, "Did you request extra work from one of the Professors, again Remus?" he asked incredulously.

"I was _bored_." Remus said flatly, refusing to look up, "And close your mouth, Wormtail, you'll catch something."

"Like a cold?" James asked, stepping up beside the table.

Remus sighed resignedly, "I was thinking more along the lines of flies."

"Oh." James ruffled his hair, "Oh. Well, that's just a slightly different kettle, isn't it?"

"Kettle?" Peter looked non-plussed - a rather natural look for his face.

"Of Fish, Wormtail. Fish."

Wormtail's baffled expression wasn't changing, but he was saved from further embarrassment by Sirius, who plonked down on the seat next to Remus, "Urgh!" Sirius complained loudly. All three of the other Marauders looked at him, but didn't ask what was wrong, so Sirius complained again, not even picking up any food.

Eventually, Remus gave in. Putting his quill down, he wearily asked, "What's wrong, Padfoot?"

Sirius made aggrieved eyes at the ceiling, "You don't care!" he accused, pointing at the young prefect, "You don't care about me at all!"

James rolled his eyes, then winked at Remus, "What's the damage?" he asked long-sufferingly.

"Finally," Sirius said, "Someone cares." He stretched out a hand to snag a hot pie from the platters, "I got," he said, pausing for effect, "a detention."

"No surprises there," Remus said aside to James.

"I heard that!" Sirius glared at them both

"Well how many have you had now?" Remus asked, "A hundred?"

"No!" Sirius sounded outraged, "Don't exaggerate," then he grinned, "It's more like a thousand!" then his expression fell, "Besides, this one's different. I'm going to be In the Forbidden Forest! With Filch!"

James was rather taken aback, "So…?"

"Alone!"

"And…?" This was not adding up to James; it was very out of character for his best friend.

Sirius whined, "I'm gonna be sooo bored!"

James's puzzled expression cleared; this was more like the way Sirius usually acted. His problem solved, James clapped Sirius on the shoulder comfortingly, "You'll be right, mate." He said absently, his mind already on Saturday's Quidditch Match.

* * *

"That was so horrible!" Sirius said as he sat down next to Remus on the following Saturday morning. 

"I thought you said you would be _bored_?" Remus asked sarcastically

"Yeah, I was! I went into the Forest and I was basically asleep on my feet – you seen it once, seen it a hundred times – I was suppressing yet another yawn when an idea hit me."

"That must have hurt." Remus said dryly.

Sirius stuck his tongue out at Remus, who raised an eyebrow and made a rude gesture with his finger.

Sirius grinned, "I taught you that!" he said happily, "Anyway, getting on with the story; My marvellous idea was to follow along with Filch until I could pull some sort of prank on him. But, while waiting for that to happen, I got bored again."

Remus cast his eyes heavenward, "You have the world's worst attention span, Sirius."

"Yeah, that's what James's Mum said." Sirius said, seemingly unconcerned, "_Anyway_," he continued, and paused, "Oh Damn… I seem to have forgotten… what was I talking about?"

James made a non-committal noise as Remus shrugged, "I really couldn't say."

Peter looked from James to Remus brightly, "I know!" he said, "You were saying how bored you were!"

"Oh Yeah!" Sirius exclaimed, and continued in the rant of how _bored_ he had been and how _wonderful_ his idea was in a monotonous tirade, which James and Remus promptly tuned out of; not in the mood to hear about it.

"… So I stuck him in a hole!" Sirius yelled proudly.

"Wait – what?" James said, tuning in again.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Honestly, James. You say that like you haven't been listening to me."

James and Remus avoided Sirius's eyes, "We always listen to you Sirius." He said unconvincingly.

"Really?" Sirius asked, his vibrant mood gone with a flash of anger, "You do a damn fine job of showing that _remarkable_ trait." He stood up, eyes flashing, "_Thanks for listening_." He spat, before stalking away.

James opened his mouth to protest, but Remus laid a calm hand on his arm, "Let him cool off a little before you talk to him."

Silence reigned for a couple of minutes, until Remus made a stab at conversation, "What a way to start off the Season, eh?" he asked.

James looked like someone had punched him in the stomach, "Thanks for reminding me, Remus." He said in a pained whisper, pushing his untouched breakfast away.

"Prongs, you need to concentrate on the Match," Remus said sensibly, "Eat something."

James lifted his hand, but let it fall limply again as Sirius's angry face flashed into his mind's eye, "Maybe I should've listened to him."

Remus shrugged; there isn't much he feels he could say to that. The three sat in silence until Peter piped up, "What happened to Filch in the hole?" he asked plaintively.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it was such a short Chapter, guys. And it was all blathering on about nothing much, but next is the Match! We'll update soon. Promise! 


	28. Falling

"Hello folks and welcome to the First Quidditch Game of the Season! This is Gryffindor versus Slytherin!" a shout of cheers greeted the two teams as they walked onto the pitch.

Lily watched as James entered the playing field. She frowned: perhaps it was just her imagination, but James looked slightly upset – preoccupied would be the optimum term. She leaned forwards slightly, wondering what was wrong with him, then leaned back, reminding herself that she did not care one whit if James was upset or otherwise.

Sirius, however, sat with a cold, blank face as the Gryffindor Team marched on. He almost smiled bitterly as he noticed the lack of James's normal egotistical strut. Watching silently as both teams took up their positions, he nevertheless felt a flicker of remorse at seeing James's slightly slumped shoulders. He squashed it, _Stupid git deserves it,_ he thought to himself, the anger still thrumming through his veins.

They kicked off, Gryffindor quickly scoring the first four points, greeted by wild cheers and much commotion. Flags were waved and emotions were running high. The commentator was joyously shouting, "Gryffindor in possession, drat the Quaffle has changed hands. Slytherin in possession and their Chaser is pelting up the field. Oh! Nice interception from the Gryffindor Chasers. This is a good team for James Potter, the new Gryffindor Captain. He seems to be doing well. Oh, Gryffindor Scores again. Slytherin has the Quaffle. Slytherin Scores! Gryffindor still leads, score is forty to ten."

Everybody was watching the Chasers as they struggled for the Quaffle and to score. Suddenly, James was diving; the other team's Seeker hot on his tail, but a bludger swung in his direction made him veer offcourse. The crowd let out an 'Ohhh' of disappointment, and the opposite team's Beater swung another bludger at James, who had made a rude gesture at him, and he rolled over in the air to avoid it.

* * *

It seemed like every one on the Slytherin team was out to get James. He could barely move without anyone blocking him, it was in coordination with his mind; whenever he tried to think, Sirius's angry face would pop up. It was badly hindering his flying. But the Slytherins settled down after a while as Gryffindor's Chasers started to really pick up.

The game was moving along nicely, with Gryffindor in the lead by eighty points, when James saw the Snitch again. Slow off the mark, he still pelted across the field towards it; that tiny golden glimmer that shone so enticingly high in the air, waiting to be caught.

_Wham!_ James nearly fell off his broom as the Slytherin Captain blocked him; the boy had appeared out of no where! James swerved sideways to avoid being knocked off and carried his broom straight into the oncoming bludger.

It shattered into pieces. James felt the significant lack of it as he began to fall, the wind rushing through his ears.

* * *

"James!" someone had shouted in pure anguish as James Potter plummeted to the ground.

Lily looked around her. Everyone seemed slightly shorter. Then she realised that she was standing up, and was the one who had screamed James's name. James. "Oh God!" she looked down to where James lay, unmoving.

A rushing shape flashed before her eyes. It was Sirius, moving at double speed. His face was tight and worried, taut as a skeleton. He pelted down the stairs, using his long legs to great advantage as Lily also ran after him.

She reached the field. Sirius had already flung himself to the ground beside James's mangled body. Lily took one look at him and retched.  
James's face was bloodied; his glasses were smashed and had inflicted cuts across his face. One shard had pierced his cheek, and it was bleeding sluggishly. His shoulder was almost detached; it had taken almost all of his weight as he fell. Lily turned horrified eyes to his chest. One of his ribs was poking out the front of his chest and his hips were at a wrong angle. Lily dropped beside him, looking frantically into his half-open eyes. They were fixed. She screamed, "He's dead! James!" she went to grab him, to hold  
him somehow, but hands caught her.

"Don't move him!" a sharp voice warned, "There is hope for him yet."

"He's dead!" Lily croaked, fighting against the hands.

"He is not." The hands turned her around, and into her vision came the steady face of Remus Lupin. "He's not dead, Lily. Not if you stop acting like a banshee and help."

Slowly, Lily took a staggered breath, "How can I help?"

"Get Madame Pomfrey, or make sure that she's on her way."

Having something to do calmed Lily a little. Filled with a new determination and purpose, she turned and dashed away to find the healer.

"And I," Remus said, turning back to James, "Will try to deal with Sirius."

Slowly, he approached his friend.

Sirius was huddled beside James's body, rocking slightly. Remus knelt slowly beside him, "Sirius?" he asked.

Sirius turned red-rimmed eyes towards his friend, "It's my fault, Moony. It's my fault," with a sudden display of alarming speed, Sirius grabbed Remus's collar, "I killed him Moony, it's because of me! It's my fault!"

"No, Sirius." Remus said gently, "He's not dead."

Sirius's voice was frantic, "But his eyes!"

"Calm down, Sirius."

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!"

"Now, now, Mister Black. Why so much fuss?" Madame Pomfrey had arrived, "All I have is a rather distraught Miss Evans with which to base my analysis. Who is injured, and why were they not brought to -" Remus moved out of the way, giving the Healer a clear look at James, "- me." She finished absently, kneeling down with worried eyes to take his pulse.

As soon as her fingers touched his skin, James started convulsing. His neck went back and his mouth dropped open, revealing shattered teeth. Then his body became rigid. Madame Pomfrey leapt to her feet, "Bring him immediately to the Hospital Wing!" she ordered.

Professor McGonagall conjured a stretcher. With another flick of her wand, she had made James float onto it. Lily ran after Madame Pomfrey, taking one backward glance to where James had lain. Her heart jumped to her mouth. There was a huge pool of blood. Now the worried expressions of Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall took on a horrible new, and dreadfully sinister, cast.

* * *

Lily sat quietly, but not peacefully. Her hands twisted in her lap worriedly and her eyes roved around the sterile room. She looked at the  
curtains that hid James from her sight and wished them long gone. She bit her lip, taking in a deep breath and waited.

* * *

Madame Pomfrey opened the curtains slightly, just enough to let her out. Lily was shocked at her appearance; it was pale and drawn. Lily started up, taking the Healer by the hand and sitting her in the chair, "Is he okay?" she asked anxiously.

"He'll live." Madame Pomfrey said wearily, "He should have been sent to St Mungo's, but with his time couldn't afford it. I did the best I could." Tired eyes sought out Lily's, "He just needs rest." Standing, she brushed her skirts before walking towards the door, "And so do I."


	29. On the Way Down

"James, I really don't know what to say to you, but I've read somewhere that it's good to talk to an unconscious person, cause it helps them find themselves, or something like that. Apparently they can hear you anyway… even though I'm not really talking _to_ you, I'm talking _at _you, aren't I? Oh, I'm sorry, I'm babbling. But I do wish you'd wake up." Lily was sitting beside James in the Hospital Wing, her hands still twisting in her lap as she tried to talk to stop herself from being frightened.

She bit her lip slightly, trying to think of something to say – anything to say, "Please wake up." She begged softly, "Please." As her words drained away into silence, Lily's hands worried themselves in her lap, twisting and tangling themselves into a knot.

Suddenly, a light warmth on her fingers froze them. Lily's gaze darted quickly to James's hand, and then to his face. He was still looked asleep but he must have movedunconsciously.

She smiled at his hand, lifting her own as if to cover his, "You awake, James?" but he didn't move again and her lip trembled. Almost as if someone else was acting through her, Lily wrapped her arms gently around him, resting her head on his torso.

Hurried footsteps on the stone corridor brought Lily back to herself. She shoved herself away from him, rocking back in her chair as Sirius burst into the room.

Lily leapt to her feet, "I was just leaving." She muttered and fled the ward. Sirius glanced after her before settling beside James, "Hey Prongs," he murmured, "Sorry I took so long getting my lazy arse here, but you seemed to be enjoying yourself. Holding hands with Evans, eh? I knew you'd be faking it. The whole thing, all the cuts and bruises." He gave a shaky laugh, "Keep at it mate; it's workin' on her. You got her really worried. You know what, I think she likes you. So you just wake up to see it, okay?"

Sirius put his face in his hands, remembering the morning: before the match and during it. He looked up again, "And James? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that. I know I can be overbearing. I don't know why you put up with my traits, but it's too much fun to change. You know how it is." Sirius lapsed into silence.

* * *

"Has his condition changed at all?" Lily asked, walking slowly into the ward and peering at James's figure on the bed. 

Sirius sighed, "Hasn't moved. How was he when you were here?"

"I'm not too sure," Lily replied honestly, sitting on the edge of the bed, "He may have moved slightly, but that may just have been my imagina…" she trailed off and blushed as Sirius looked at her quizzically, "Nothing like that!" she snapped defensively.

Sirius winked lewdly at her, "I'm sure, Evans. I'm sure."

Lily bridled and would have yelled at Sirius but the concern evident in his eyes. Sirius was already looking back at James. He _did_ appear slightly better: his wounds had been washed and seemed mostly healed. Sirius sighed in relief, "He will wake up, won't he?" he asked anxiously.

Lily nodded, "Madame Pomfrey said he just needed rest."

Sirius expelled his breath in a rush, "Thank Merlin." He said with feeling.

Lily smiled at his obvious relief, "He'll be fine." She assured him.

Sirius looked at his friend, "I hope so."

Lily caught the worry in his tone and clasped James's hand lightly, concern etching lines around her mouth. Sirius watched and, for perhaps the first time in his life, decided to be discreet and tactful. Well, tactful anyway, "I need to go to the toilet." He informed Lily. She barely glanced up. "I'll be right back." He said.

"Right." She said absently, keeping her eyes on James's face. She stayed like that for several minutes, sunken into a reverie, until she heard many peoples' footsteps approaching.

It was the Gryffindor Quidditch Team; she could tell by the chatter. "What a match," one said.

"It was such a bad loss, I can't believe he missed it."

"Yeah," said another, "He couldn't even catch the damn snitch on the way down." They laughed heartily.

Lily's eyes narrowed dangerously. Carefully, she put James's hand back beside his body, turning to face the team as it entered the Ward. Their laughter died a sudden, painful death.

"_What _did you say?" Lily asked, voice dangerously soft.

"Well you're in Gryffindor, aren't you?" This person seemed to be suicide-bent as he said stupidly; "Don't you think he could have caught the Snitch on the way down?"

There was a hush as everyone in the room turned to look at Lily. Her face was red and she was shaking angrily, "Did I hear you correctly?" she asked icily, "_You_, an insignificant twerp are asking if _he,"_ She pointed her thumb in James' direction,Should have caught a _snitch _on his hell bent plummet towards the GROUND!" They stepped back as she paused for breath."There's going to be a rematch, you bloody pigheaded BASTARDS! And who cares if he catches the bloody snitch or not! You should be bloody grateful he's in one bloody piece! His life is on the line and all you can say is he DIDN'T CATCH THE BLOODY SNITCH! You care more about the bloody sport, than your Captain's LIFE!" by this time, Lily was so angry that words seemed to have failed her, luckily.

The team stepped back again, looking dumbstruck, then another thought came to her and she opened her mouth to yell again, but a small sound from the bed behind her caused her to whip around, "James!" she exclaimed, her hands whipping to her mouth, "Did we wake you up?"

James grinned, "Don't worry about it." He said weakly.

Lily spun around to face the Quidditch team, "_You woke him up_." She hissed at them.

One person opened their mouth to disagree, but was quickly stifled by the other – wiser – team members.

"Excuse me." James croaked, "Could I have a glass of water."

"Oh!" Lily gasped, spinning around again, and running to get a glass of water from the pitcher, "Here." She said, coming to hand it gently to James. She glared at the Quidditch team as she turned around, before looking at James and smiling apologetically.

She sat down as she heard another group of people entering the room, "Good thing he didn't catch the snitch, huh? We have the whole season to ourselves!"

Lily seemed to swell again. The Gryffindor Quidditch team took one look at her, looked at the Slytherin team and stepped back to leave her path clear.


	30. One Time Performance

Lily lowered her wand and surveyed the damage. She was torn between shock for breaking the rules in such a massive way, and pride for how thoroughly she had hexed the living daylights out of the Slytherins.

"Wow, who would have thought that Avery looked better _with_ tentacles?" She wondered, before mentally berating herself for her marauder-like behaviour…

The Gryffindor team had fled the scene once she had drawn her wand, although they stayed during the time when she had yelled at them until her face was red. The only ones left in the hospital wing were herself and one very unconscious James who had passed out as soon as he had seen the Slytherins…

"Lily…"

…but now had just decided to wake up. Lily swore under her breath and turned to leave.

"Miss Evans, what on _earth_ happened here?" Madam Pomfrey's shocked voice resounded through the hospital wing.

Lily gulped.

"Err…"

One of the Slytherins moaned, "She…"

"I found them fighting over who would finish off the job," Lily spoke hurriedly, stumbling over her words.

Madame Pomfrey's eyes widened.

"Well I never… Miss Evans, would you mind going back to class? I will deal with these reckless foolish students."

Whipping out her wand, she quickly cast _Wingardium Leviosa _and lifted the Slytherin team one by one onto new beds, muttering about Quidditch and the folly of the professors to allow this to happen.

Lily made her escape, sprinting out the door before leaning on the wall nearby and gasping for breath.

She, Lily Evans, has _seriously_ broken the rules and on top of that, she lied… and gotten away with it. A stranger sense of pride filled her veins.

"Is this what James feels like after a prank?" she wondered, shutting her eyes.

Shaking her head to dislodge unwanted thoughts, she continued on towards the library to have some thinking time…

Little knowing that a certain hazel-eyed trickster was now wide awake and staring at her handiwork with awe.

* * *

_Bang!_

"Padfoot, I'd advise you stop that…"

_Bang!_

"It's not going to make this any better…"

_Bang!_

"Padfoot, calm down…

_Bang!_

"_Expelliarmus!"_

Sirius's wand flew out of his hand and landed neatly in Remus's.

"Moony…" Sirius growled. "Give it BACK!"

"Not until you see that firing hexes at the wall will do nothing to help the situation."

Sirius sighed and shoved his hands deep in his pockets, scowling.

"Moony, he almost bloody _died!_" he whined.

"Yes, yes…" Remus's reply was gentle. "But he's alive now, is he not?"

"I suppose," Sirius muttered. "It's just painful to see him lying there looking so dead."

"He wasn't dead, Padfoot," Wormtail remarked. "He's not dead until he stops breathing…"

"Oh thanks for that, mate." Sirius retorted, sarcastically.

Remus's was about to tell both of them to calm down when a redhead came crashing into them from behind.

"Oh, "Lily's face was ashen and drawn. "Sorry Remus, Sirius, Peter."

She pushed past them and continued towards the library, green eyes seeming blank and unseeing. Sirius started forwards, face openly curious but Remus placed a hand in front of him.

"Padfoot, I'm not sure if your gentle tact is required for this case," he remarked. "I'll follow."

"Moony…" Sirius whined, but Remus cut him off.

"Madame Pince still hasn't forgiven you for your latest prank, my friend."

Sirius, in spite of everything that had happened, grinned.

"Yeah… I suppose Pince didn't find making the books swear at the Slytherins _quite _as clever and amazing as I did."

"Padfoot, you outdo yourself. Again."

"Yeah, I know, my moony of a mon."

"Sirius, you aren't Jamaican. Stop with the accent."

Sirius grumbled as Remus strode after Lily.

"Well, I think I be cool, mon."

* * *

Lily sat at one of the tables in the corner of the library, pretending to read _Advanced Potions_ again. Her mind, however, was teeming with confusion and fear.

"I cursed the Slytherins… I cursed the Slytherins… I _bloody CURSED THE SLYTHERINS…"_

"Talking to yourself is the second sign of madness, Lily," Remus's dry voice came from somewhere over her head.

"Oh, and what's the first sign?"

Remus smiled

"Asking."

He pulled a chair out and sat down next to her, a copy of _Defence Against The Dark Arts Volume 12_ in his hands. Settling down, he started to read. Lily let out a breath. She was worried he had overheard her.

"So…" Remus's voice was conversational. "You cursed the Slytherins?"

Lily shut her book with a loud bang, before spinning around wildly to look for Madame Pince. Luckily, she was nowhere close.

"Shhh!" Lily hissed.

Remus half smiled.

"All you've done, Lily, is merely live every Gryffindor's dream," he paused. "At least every Gryffindor who is not a Marauder. The question is _why_?"

Lily groaned softly and rested her head in her book.

"They were talking about how without James, we'd lose the cup, and I just got so upset and so bloody angry that I lost control… I didn't mean to do it. I just did."

She exhaled.

"Luckily, Madame Pomfrey believed me when I said they were cursing each other in order to see who'd finish James off…"

Remus chuckled.

"So hexing the Slytherins _and_ lying? James would be so proud of you."

Lily hissed, going bright red.

"Don't you DARE tell him, Remus!"

Remus held up his hands, trying to pacify her.

"I won't. I do not do things like that…"

Lily sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Remus. I'm embarrassed enough as it is without that git knowing what I did for…"

Lily shut up, cheeks blaring. Remus watched her intently, amber eyes silently laughing.

"Yes Lily?"

"Nothing. Shut up. I meant nothing."

Both of the prefects went back to reading, Remus smiling and Lily trying to ignore the thoughts leading her through an unpleasant train of logic.

"Remus…" she suddenly said.

"Yes?"

"After a prank…" Lily swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "Do you feel…"

"Yes?"

"Do you feel _proud_?"

Remus blinked twice, before suddenly standing, his book in his hand.

"Lily, now you understand _why_ I'm in the Marauders. You now understand why we do what we do…"

As he turned to go, he muttered under his breath.

"I wouldn't make a habit of it. Sometimes, guilt overlies pride."

He strode out of the Library, his book open in front of his face. Lily looked back down at her book, not really reading the pages. Her mind was teeming with new thoughts and a sinking feeling that was gnawing at her heels.

"_Breaking the rules is only a temporary rush,"_ she thought. "_I don't want to make a habit of doing that unless there's something worth fighting for…_"

She suddenly realised where that thought left and stifled it by standing abruptly and grabbing her book. Surely she didn't think _he_ was worth fighting for…

Did she?

* * *

Two weeks later at dinnertime, James hobbled out of the hospital wing, feeling over the moon thanks to the painkiller potion he had just consumed. Madame Pomfrey had judged him well enough to return to the common room, although had made him swear to return to the hospital wing if he even felt a twinge of pain.

He was just deciding on a tune to whistle when he caught sight of Lily sitting on a bench in one of the corridors with her nose stuck into some textbook. Limping over to her, he leaned on the cane he had been given and grinned.

"Hey Evans…" he drawled. "What are you doing out here on your lonesome?"

Lily glanced up at him, standing there with his dark hair ruffled and his hazel-eyes twinkling and sighed in annoyance.

"Potter, I'm _reading_" she retorted. "Surely you have somewhere you'd rather be."

James looked her up and down once.

"Nope. Nowhere I can think of."

Hobbling over, he sat down next to her with a grin.

"So what have I missed? Apart from you hexing the Slytherins from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade…"

The book thudded to the ground as she whirled around and faced him.

"You _know_ about that? I thought… I thought you were unconscious!"

James shook his head.

"No, I was just waking up, you see. You got Avery with a killer _Furnunculus_hex…and the Jelly-Legs Jinx to boot, very nice!"

Lily groaned and rested her face in her hands. James laughed and put an arm around her.

"Hey… I'm proud of you, you know that? They had it coming…"

Lily slightly leaned into the half hug, into James without thinking. She shut her eyes and just relaxed, feeling slightly more at ease.

"You alright?" James asked, hardly believing his luck.

Suddenly, Lily broke away from him, before standing up.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"It was a one time performance, that's all!"

She spun on her heel, picking up her discarded book from the ground as she went, bent on getting to the common room as fast as she could. James watched her go, confusion in his eyes.

Somehow, he didn't think she was entirely referring to the hexing of the Slytherins.

* * *

The next morning, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter sat in the Great Hall, eating breakfast. Remus had his book resting against a pitcher of pumpkin juice, Sirius was shovelling bacon down his gullet as fast as humanly possible, Peter was trying to remember the spell for transfiguring poodles and James was taking his time with the potion he had promised Madame Pomfrey he would drink every morning for the next week.

Suddenly, Sirius slapped James on the back. James choked and forced the potion down.

"Prongs, my stag, I'm so glad you're back!"

Remus looked over sardonically. James grinned.

"Why, Padfoot?"

"Because now I feel like a massive weight is off my shoulders mate…" Sirius was sober, for once. "I was worried you'd, you know…"

He lowered his voice.

"Never be right, you understand?"

James tilted his head to the side.

"Padfoot, were you _worried_ about me?"

Sirius cleared his throat.

"Maybe a tad. But only because I need you to show off my amazingly handsome looks! You know; comparison and all that."

James laughed and shoved Sirius off his seat.

"You git…"

He suddenly cringed in pain and rubbed his ribs.

"Prongs, you alright?" Remus suddenly asked.

"Yeah…" James gritted his teeth. "Just my ribs. They'll be fine…"

Remus nodded and looked around to see if anyone else had noticed. He glanced at a certain redhead as she ducked her head back down into her book, as though she had never been looking over at them in the first place.

Smiling to himself, Remus turned back to his cup of tea. Some things were better left to mature.

* * *

A/N: I am so so so sorry! It's been over a year! I know… how disgraceful is that! But at least it's up! You can't be mad at me forever:) On a more serious note; thank you all so much for your reviews and support, even though it's been an extremely dormant story over the past 12 months. Thanks for your ever-lasting support, and with your continued reading and kind words, we can make it to the next 100 reviews! Cheers guys! Love from PurpleLight 


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